Digimon Encore
by Darkiceflame
Summary: When an evil force rises up in an attempt to take control of the Digital World, two heroes are summoned to defend it. But in a world where nothing is as it seems, can Dallas and Jason rise through the darkness to become true Digidestined?
1. Dream Debut The Digimon Appear!

Ch.1 Dream Debut. The Digimon Appear!

A shadowy warrior stands in the moonlight, prepared to enter into battle with an opponent he cannot defeat.  
>The enemy is an enormous green monster which appears to be made up of giant eyes. These eyes are accompanied by a grinning mouth, which laughs at the warrior.<br>On a nearby hill, Dallas stands, watching. He observes as the heroic warrior leaps forward to engage in battle with the grinning beast. It chortles, before simply dodging out of the way. It gives another evil cackle before launching a beam of light, which explodes against the hero's armor.  
>"He needs you, you know" a voice pipes up next to Dallas. The boy turns to see a man in a large white cloak, topped with a matching hat. The hat is tall and ends in a single point, reminding Dallas of a witch's hat.<br>"What do you mean?" Dallas questions. "I can't do anything to hurt that monster!"  
>The man smiles. "It is your destiny, and it is mine as well."<br>"That makes no sense!" Dallas protests. "You're saying that I'm you?"  
>"Of course" the man replies. "That is why I chose you."<br>"Stop talking in riddles" Dallas growls. "Talk straight, what do you mean?"  
>The man reaches into his cloak and pulls out a great white sword, much too large to have fit within its folds.<br>"Embrace your destiny" the man smiles, holding the sword out.  
>Dallas looks at the blade reluctantly. "What do I have to do?"<br>The figure plunges the sword into the ground, so that it stands freely. He then retracts his hands back into the infinite ripples of his cloak. "Simply listen to one who requests your help, and you will walk the correct path."  
>Dallas smiled. "I will" he then grabs the hilt, and is surrounded in a flash of light.<br>Now, he is much taller. He bears the sword, which has become a great long platinum blade. He smiles as he rises into the air. in an instant, he is racing toward the shining hero.  
>The hero is not doing well. His armor is harshly dented. He needs help.<br>Dallas lands calmly next to him. The warrior looks at him in surprise, before a stab of recognition flashes across his face.  
>"Let's do this" Dallas grins. The hero nods, and the two clasp hands.<br>Instantly, Dallas is himself again. He smiles as his power flows into his ally and, instantly, he is the shining warrior. He stands calmly, all flaws and damage to his armor repaired. He shines brilliantly. He turns to the monster with a sneer.  
>The beast is not fazed. Its only intent is to destroy Dallas, but that will not happen today.<br>He lifts his great sword and rushes forward to destroy the beast.  
>He darts around, sword flashing like a beam of light, striking faster than the eye can see. He darts in for the final blow...<br>Then, everything goes wrong.  
>A searing pain wracks his body. He is covered by an invisible shroud, injecting his body with horrible emptiness. He would never see the sun again.<br>The great beast made a sound that was part laugh, part snarl. Its spherical heads began to rattle. The verdant cables holding the spheres together split and began to retract. They vanished into the globes, save for one small mass of cables. These remaining cords shrank and began to writhe. They warped and twisted, taking on a new form that bore a strong similarity to some sort of full-body cloak.  
>The giant metal orbs shrank to the size of grapefruits and began to orbit its form. A reflective shield and metal sword appeared, and it grasped them.<br>Dallas heard a scream of "NO!" and a small form jetted forward to stop in midair before him.  
>The being looked at it in minor amusement. Almost casually, it brought the blade down and sliced through the being. It vanished instantly in a shower of black particles.<br>At the sight of the destruction, the blood began to boil in Dallas's veins. Rage built up. He was furious.  
>Instantly, he tore through the barrier, and split. This was different than before though, the separation was painful.<br>Dallas screamed as his own body seemed to act of its own accord. He brought his hand up, and a flash of light ensued.  
>With a howl of anguish, Dallas woke from the nightmare. He shot straight up from the bed like a bullet. His heart was hammering like a kettle drum, and his entire body was covered with icy sweat.<br>Groaning to himself, Dallas pulled back the covers, got out of bed, and walked out of the room. He strode into the bathroom and pulled the handle on the shower, allowing the water to gradually raise in temperature while he waited.  
>After removing his pajamas, he stepped under the spray. Hot water hit his skin, feeling like fire after the icy cold he had felt only moments ago. But, slowly, his body adjusted, and the stream turned from a harsh scalding heat, to perfectly warm. The steam and water soon cleaned his body and cleared his head.<br>After toweling off, he retrieved his night clothes, put them on, then returned to his room. He walked over to his desk, grabbed a comb which he'd put into his pencil holder, and brushed his hair back. His hair was caramel-brown, but was streaked with gold. Dallas didn't know why this was, some kind of pigment defect his father had said, but he thought it was cool.  
>His evergreen eyes scanned the room, finding his dresser and extracting his favorite outfit: A plain black T-shirt, faded blue jeans, and a deep green jacket. He put these on, leaving the jacket open in the style that many boys were following, and went downstairs.<br>Upon reaching the kitchen, Dallas practically broke his neck as he slipped on the floor. At the last second before he hit the ground, a hand lashed out and stopped his fall.  
>Dallas picked himself up before turning to see that his older sister, Hannah, had saved him.<br>"Mom spilled some soap as she walked in" Hannah said casually. "She was going to use it to fill up the pump by the sink, but she tripped and it spilled all over. I didn't see it and..." Hannah trailed off as she showed Dallas a purple bruise on her elbow. "I was just about to clean it up. Keep clear of it."  
>Dallas nodded. Hannah was seventeen, and she loved helping anyone with whatever problem they happened to have. But, sometimes she could be a little bit of a control freak in Dallas's opinion. She had dark brown hair, which she streaked with blue highlights. She wore a simple blue shirt with long sleeves, despite the fact that it was warm outside, and a jean skirt.<br>"Why are you wearing a shirt with long sleeves?" Dallas asked. "It's plenty warm outside."  
>"You're wearing that jacket" Hannah pointed out. "So then why can't I wear long sleeves?"<br>"Touche " Dallas admitted. But it was true that he had his own reasons. Even though he had done everything he could to warm himself up, he was still feeling chills because of the odd dream he'd had. So, he was wearing a warm jacket.  
>As Hannah finished cleaning the soap away with a wet rag, their mother walked into the room. She was a shorter woman who both children got their brown hair from. She had deep blue eyes, and was wearing a floral-pattern shirt and jeans.<br>"Dallas, after school, I need you to pick up the bouquet I ordered from Tammy's flower shop. You know where it is, right?"  
>Dallas nodded. "It's over on Harbinger Street, right?"<br>His mother beamed. "That's the one. But make sure you don't take any shortcuts. You know that the back alleys in that part of town are like a giant maze, right?"  
>Dallas rolled his eyes. Everyone knew about the labyrinth that existed, not two blocks from the high school, formed from the many back alleys and streets in that district. It was an ideal place for thugs and cults, because they were able to vanish into the streets in an instant to hide from police.<br>Last summer, Dallas and his friend Jason had taken the risk of attempting to map out the streets. They took turns holding onto a long rope which was attached to a winch. The rope could be "reeled out" while held by someone, allowing them to follow it back when they finished mapping an area. The two had mapped out only a fraction, but they had a map that extended a good two miles into the maze.  
>Dallas slung his backpack over his shoulder and walked outside to wait for the bus. He took a few granola bars, since he hadn't eaten breakfast.<br>"Within a few minutes, the bus arrived, and Dallas hopped aboard. He immediately moved toward the back to sit with his best friend Jason. The boy wore a light blue wide-brimmed hat, which was complemented by a navy vest and long-sleeved white shirt. Apparently, many people whom he knew wore long sleeves today. Maybe he had started some sort of trend.  
>Jason had been Dallas's best friend since the day he moved to New York. The boy had been born and raised in the city, and was able to help Dallas become familiar with the town.<br>Dallas himself was born in the States, but his family moved to Quebec, Canada when he was very young. Here, Dallas had learned French, and was soon able to speak it just as well as English.  
>Then, just last year, Dallas's family moved back to the U.S. to live in New York City. Fourteen year-old Dallas had been completely alone before Jason befriended him.<br>Dallas was jostled from his thoughts as Jason shook his shoulder.  
>"We're here" Jason informed him. "Let's get to class."<p>

"Welcome, class" Mr. Matsuki greeted. "Today, we will be discussing one of my favorite subjects: Alternate Universes."  
>Dallas sat up in attention. This was a subject which he himself was quite interested in.<br>"Now, scientists have been speculating for years about the potential existence of alternate universes" Matsuki continued. "The theory is that there are other universes just like ours, existing in the same time and place, but separate. These dimensions are supposed to overlap, so you could be sitting in a desk in class right now. But, in an alternate dimension, you might be somewhere in Tasmania being swallowed by a python. Does everyone understand?"  
>The whole class nodded, so Matsuki continued.<br>"Now, there is a theory that two alternate dimensions which overlap could, on occasion, bump together. It might even be possible to tear a hole between two dimensions. This is known as a dimensional rift, which could remain for years, or it could remain for only an instant. Of course, nobody has actually proven the existence of Alternate Universes, so these are still only theories. The possibility of opening a rift to another dimension is slim. But some say, given the right tools, objects, and even people could traverse two dimensions at will..."  
>The lesson continued. Dallas listened intently. Mr. Matsuki was his favorite teacher, and he enjoyed the class. Matsuki had a very vivid imagination, and once even created a story about a time when he met a fire-breathing dragon back in Japan, where he was from.<br>The class soon ended, and everyone moved to their next period.  
>"Do you think it's possible?" Dallas asked Jason as they walked out.<br>"That Alternate Dimensions could exist?" Jason replied. "Nah. I don't see how that could happen. It's just science fiction."

The school day ended, and the two boys left the school.  
>"Oh, I almost forgot!" Dallas exclaimed. "I have to pick up my mom's order of flowers!"<br>"I'll go with you." Jason said excitedly. "Sounds like it could be fun!"  
>The two departed toward Tammy's flower shop.<br>As they walked down the street, a loud crash came from the alleyway nearby.  
>"What do you think that was?" Jason asked.<br>"Somebody who shouldn't be in there" Dallas replied simply.  
>"Heeeeelp!"<br>The two boys turned, having heard the scream. Both were concerned.  
>"Should we go check it out?" Jason asked.<br>Dallas was about to say no, but something he had heard somewhere came to his mind.  
>"Simply listen to one who requests your help, and you will walk the correct path."<br>He didn't remember where he'd heard it, but he knew the person who had told him meant now.  
>"C'mon" he said as he approached the back street. "Let's go see who needs help."<p>

Two dark figures ran for their lives across a far away plain. They were being pursued by a monster more horrible than description.  
>"Is he still after us?" The first asked the second. Said character turned to look behind him.<br>"I don't see anything" the second replied. "Maybe we lost him."  
>Instantly, a figure leapt from the bushes. Its stance and the two mirrorlike weapons it held confirmed who it was.<br>"Run!" the first being shrieked.  
>The two took off as quickly as they could, the unknown mercenary slowly closing in behind them.<br>"There's gotta be something we can do to get away" the second figure panted.  
>The first suddenly beamed. "Maybe there is a way."<br>Quickly spinning around, the first runner cried "Bunny Bubble!" It opened its mouth and launched several blue spheres from it.  
>"What are you doing?" the second one shrieked. "You know what he can do!"<br>"Exactly" the first smirked.  
>The mercenary quickly raised its two shields and caught the spheres on one of them. They simply seemed to pass through the surface.<br>"Dark Reflection!" the pursuer announced. Several dark orbs, the same size and number as the projectiles which the victim had launched flew from the opposite weapon.  
>"Now!" the first runner cried. His companion took in a huge breath and launched a sphere of compressed air. The two attacks collided not five feet in front of the two runners.<br>"Let's go!" the first runner insisted. The two quickly leapt into the chaos of the explosion.

IN the middle of the explosion, a single point of light was expanding. The energy of the opposing forces fed it, causing it to grow continually. The two runners were able to jump through the ring of light.  
>Instantly, they were in a dark alley in a very different place. The portal had opened in the center of a wooden beam, which held up a load of bricks. Without the support, the bricks crashed to the hard floor.<br>The two began to run. They darted down the alley, and the first spared a glance behind them, just in time to see their pursuer pushing through the portal.  
>"Heeeeelp!" he screamed.<p>

Dallas raced through the alleyways. He was determined to find and help whoever was calling for them.  
>Rounding a corner, he saw the strangest sight in his life.<br>Two figures were dashing down the alley. One was quite similar to a rabbit. It was a bit larger than a regular rabbit, and its eyes were large, a piercing green color. Other than those two features, it looked like a normal brown rabbit.  
>The other was much more unique seeming. It looked like an oversized hamster of some sort, with orange fur on its back, and creamy white on its belly. It had large blue eyes, but its most interesting features were the two appendages on the sides of its head. They looked like a combination of ears and enormous orange bat wings.<br>The most interesting aspect of the two creatures was that they were both screaming.  
>"Help us!" the rabbit one screamed. "He's going to kill us!"<br>"Who?" Jason asked "Who's after you?"  
>It was the bat one who answered. "The most powerful bounty hunter in the Digital world."<br>There was a clang as a beam of energy blasted away the rubble at the end of the alley. A creature which looked like a metal man ambled out of the resulting cloud of dust.  
>"Mercurymon" the bat creature finished.<p>

Within seconds, the foursome was bolting down the hallway.  
>"Fill us in" Jason puffed. "Who are you two, and why does that Mercury-man guy want you dead?"<br>"His name is Mercurymon" the rabbit creature corrected. "We don't know why he wants to kill us, but he's never lost his prey. Nobody has ever survived while he was on the hunt."  
>"Great" Dallas gasped. "And who exactly are you two?"<br>"We're called Digimon" the bat one replied. "I'm Patamon and this is Lepumon. Mercurymon is also a Digimon, as are all the creatures from our world."  
>"You're world?" Jason sought. "Are you guys from another planet or something?"<br>"Technically, no." Lepumon replied. "Our world and this world exist in the same place but in-"  
>"An Alternate Dimension." Dallas finished. "Just like Mr. Matsuki was telling us about in class today."<br>"So you guys are monsters from another dimension who are being chased by a metal bounty hunter who's never failed in destroying his victim" Jason summed everything up. "Well that just happens every day, now doesn't it?"  
>"More often than you might think" Patamon smirked.<br>A beam of energy launched toward them, nearly hitting Dallas in the head. This reminded them all of the circumstances they were in.  
>"So, what do you know about this Mercurymon guy?" Dallas asked. "Does he have any weak points?"<br>"None that I know of" Lepumon replied. "He's covered from head to foot in armor. It's not Chrome Digizoid, but it's super strong. He uses his Irony no Tate or Irony Shields to absorb any projectile attack and reflect it back with twice the power. Physical blows do nothing to the shields, only projectiles can do any damage, and the Irony Shields are large enough to defend his entire being at once."  
>"So, he's untouchable while he has those shields?"<br>"Pretty much."  
>"Then we may not be able to beat him, but we can definitely get away from him."<br>"How?" Jason asked, turning to look at Dallas.  
>Dallas smirked. "Get out the map. We're going to lose him in the alleys."<br>Soon, The boys and Digimon were dodging and weaving through the streets. This made Mercurymon angry.  
>"Come out and face me!" he roared. "You are assisting two convicts sentenced to death!"<br>Dallas ignored the angry Digimon and continued weaving through the streets. His goal was to make a loop around Mercurymon.  
>"Why are we trying to get back to where they came out?" Jason whispered.<br>"Remember what Mr. Matsuki said? When a rift is torn open between two dimensions, it can remain for a while" Dallas explained. "Mercurymon will never expect us to take them back to their world. He'll assume we're hiding them here."  
>"Great idea" Jason complimented, looking at his map. "Turn left here."<br>At length, they made their way back to the portal accompanied by the frustrated shrieks of Mercurymon. The Steel Digimon was disorientated by this new foreign world.  
>Dallas grinned as he realized that the portal was still in the carnage of the bricks.<br>"Yes!" he cheered. He attempted to walk through the rift, but an unseen force blocked his passage.  
>"Why can't I get through?" Dallas grunted.<br>Lepumon gasped in realization. "You two don't have Digivices, you can't cross."  
>"How do we get Digivices?" Jason asked.<br>Lepumon looked at Patamon for a moment. An unheard realization passed between them.  
>"Are you sure about this?" Patamon asked.<br>"Of course" Lepumon confirmed. "It's the only way." He then turned to Dallas. "What is your last name?"  
>"Finch" Dallas replied. "Why?"<br>Lepumon nodded. "I accept Dallas Finch as my human partner and grant him access to the full rights of a DigiDestined."  
>Dallas began to feel odd as a strange light appeared in his palm. He looked down to see a small object forming in the center of the light. It resembled most closely a stopwatch with a green strap attached at the top. It had a green, circular display, and a small slot on each side. The slots were thin, about large enough for a piece of paper, or possibly a trading card to slide through. It had several buttons on the display, and a small rotating knob on the backside of it.<br>"That is a Digivice" Lepumon informed him. "A D-Power, if I'm not mistaken. But I've never seen the little dial on the back before."  
>"Now me" Patamon spoke up. "Jason, your last name?"<br>"Thompson" Jason replied.  
>"I accept Jason Thompson as my human partner and grant him access to the full rights of a DigiDestined." Patamon recited.<br>The same type of light as that which had appeared for Dallas manifest itself in his palm. When it cleared, a similar Digivice rested in his hand. It started large at the top. and tapered off at the bottom. The display was only in the top half of this one, with larger buttons below. A short antenna extended from the top, and its color scheme was blue instead of green.  
>"A D-3" Patamon said approvingly. "You two are now allowed to enter the Digital World."<br>Dallas nodded. "Let's do it."  
>Stepping forward, Dallas found that his way was no longer hindered. He felt as if gravity was in two places at once, pulling lightly on his body. He knew that one more step would hurl him into the unknown.<br>Jason stood beside him, Patamon sitting on his cyan hat. He wore an expression that seemed to be a combination of anxiety, fear, and excitement.  
>Dallas looked down at Lepumon, who stood on his other side. He realized that everyone was waiting for him to take the first step.<br>Taking in a deep breath, Dallas lifted his foot and took another step. He leaned forward, and was instantly snatched up by the void.

Mercurymon stalked through the streets in a rage. He had lost the humans, and they were probably miles away by now.  
>He angrilly kicked a garbage can into the air. It soared fifty feet before crumpling against a wall.<br>The master was going to be furious. Mercurymon had never lost his prey. They would pay.  
>Suddenly, a beam of light rose up like a pillar into the air. Mercurymon looked skyward to see an emerald hued ray slicing into the air. After a moment, it vanished. A second later, another beam sliced into the air, this time, a deep sapphire color. Both beams came from the direction of the portal.<br>Mercurymon cursed. Of course! In a total blindside tactic, the humans had simply doubled back. Now, the Digimon had partnered themselves with the humans, giving them access to the Digital World.  
>Mercurymon dashed toward the portal in rage. He would have to act fast, or the convicts might close up the portal. In their current states, neither one had enough firepower to do it, but that Lepumon was resourcefull... part of the reason why he had been perfect at his previous occupation.<br>Mercurymon practically flew toward the portal. The convicts would be brought to justice. They would pay dearly for what had been done...

A flood of sensations overwhelmed Dallas. He felt joy, sadness, and other emotions which he could not describe. He was flying down a multicolored shaft of light, moving toward a large white plane which he assumed was the barrier between this magnificent place and the world which Lepumon and Patamon hailed from.  
>He reached toward the wall of light, and passed through it, finding himself in a grassy clearing in the middle of a forest.<br>Seconds later, Jason and the others had all arrived. Jason also looked around in amazement at this remarkable place.  
>"We can't stay here" Lepumon warned. "Mercurymon is likely to realize our deception. He will return here to search for us, and we must not be here when he does."<br>The others concurred, and the group set off into the forest.

Mercurymon arrived at the wreckage around the portal. The rubble had shifted, preventing him from being able to pass through. This did not bother him, however. He simply raised his Irony Shields together.  
>"Reflector Cannon!" he commanded. The two shields began to glow with white energy, which lanced forward as pure beams of light, tangible enough to slice through the rubble and clear a path.<br>Mercurymon smirked as he passed into the portal. He soon arrived, but his prey was nowhere in sight.  
>Instead of falling into despair, Mercurymon began to make calculations. Unlike many others, he was relentless. He would follow his targets untill they could run no more.<br>With a metalic shriek, he performed a Summon. This was a type of magnetic wave which vibrated out from its body and drew Digimon of the Metal Empire family to him.  
>Soon, several Digimon crowded around him: Five Gotsumon and one Golemon. The Gotsumon were humanoids which looked as though they were constructed from boulders stacked atop each other.<br>The Golemon was a large creature, with large, oversized fists, and a large, blocky head. Two hornlike rocks rose from its back, from which it was able to launch its devestating Sulfer Plume attack.  
>Mercurymon smirked. "Follow the humans. Do what you want with them, but the convicts are mine. Bring them back to me once you deal with the human scum."<br>Golemon nodded. With a bellow, it plunged forward and burrowed into the ground.

Dallas and company trudged along through the terrain. They had left the forest behind, and were now following a railroad line to its source.  
>"It is vital that we're not discovered by any Digimon who are Champion level or above" Patamon warned. "If we are, they won't hesitate to destroy us. We wont have enough power to fend them off."<br>"How can we get Champion Digimon to help us?" Dallas asked.  
>"Some Digimon can transform into more powerful forms through the process of Digivolution."<br>"What about you two?" Jason asked. "Can you digivolve?"  
>"I can" Patamon replied. " Lepumon doesn't know, he's never tried. But it's not an easy process. Digimon have to have lots of energy to Digivolve. The only ways to do that are to obtain large ammounts of data, or have large ammounts of energy given to them from an external source."<br>"Like these?" Dallas asked, holding up his Digivice.  
>"Precisely" Lepumon replied. "Digivices produce huge ammounts of energy, allowing Digimon who's partners use them to Digivolve. But, mastering the Digivice is no simple task. It usually takes a long time to unlock higher levels of evolution."<br>"Higher levels?" Jason asked. "How many levels are there?"  
>"It starts from the lowest" Patamon replied. "A newborn Digimon usually starts in Fresh form, which is basically like a newborn child in human terms. Then, they move on to In-Training form, which is your equivalent to a toddler."<br>"Then, you move on to Rookies, like us." Lepumon added. "Rookies are basically your older child/teenager stage in a Digimon's life. Next is Champion, which is where they start getting pretty strong. Champions and Rookies are the most common Digimon in the wild."  
>"Next comes Ultimate" Patamon picked up "If you're alone with no protection and you run into an Ultimate Level Digimon, you don't stand a chance. They're rarer than Champions, but not as rare as Mega levels."<br>Lepumon shuddered. "Mega Level is the top of the top. They knock down mountains for sport. They change the course of rivers like we'd draw a line in mud."  
>"Of course, there are more specific Levels than those. There's Armor, Hybrid, other things which you don't need to worry about right now."<br>Dallas and Jason were silent. This was a lot to take in. Not only were there amazing creatures here, they could transform into other, more powerful beings.  
>Just then, a tremor shook the ground. Dallas, assuming the worst, quickly spotted a heavy iron mallet which had been discarded on the side of the tracks. He grabbed it and faced the approaching force.<br>They approached like space aliens in UFOs, except that they rode atop their hovering vehicles instead of within them. Their rocky complexion allowed Lepumon to recognize them easilly.  
>"Gotsumon" he verified. "We can take them."<br>It was then that the ground rumbled, and the leader of the stirkeforce sprang from the earth.  
>If it's possible for a Digimon covered in fur to grow pale, Lepumon did just that.<br>"Golemon" he reported quietly. "Him, we can't take."  
>Golemon roared haughtilly. "Humans! Turn the convicts over to us, and you shall die quickly and painlessly!"<br>"And if we don't?" Dallas challenged.  
>A plume of super-hot air shot from Golemon's smoke stacks toward a lone tree. Upon contact, the tree shriveled up and burst into flames.<br>"If you don't then we broil you alive."  
>Dallas smirked. "You first."<br>With a sudden movement, Dallas lashed out with the hammer, striking a heavy blow to one of the Gotsumon. The Gotsumon in question subsequently had his arm blown off.  
>"Rock Fist!" ONe Gotsumon cried. Instantly, a section of the ground at his feet began to break away from its source. This formed a floating disk, which seemed to be what the Gotsumon had all been traveling on before.<br>Before Gotsumon could drop his enormous boulder, Lepumon jumped into the air.  
>"Bunny Bubble!" he cried, launching the small blue spheres from his mouth. Gotsumon easilly manouvered out of the way, but he did not expect the bubbles to change direction and strike him in the back.<br>"Oops" he orated, before exploding into a cloud of data.  
>The four remaining Gotsumon crowded together a bit closer after that.<br>"Let's use our combination move!" One Gotsumon suggested. The others nodded, and all immediately knelt to the ground.  
>"Crazy Crusher! They all called simultaneously. The ground began to shake as cracks appeared on the surface. Huge chunks broke apart, nearly causing the Digidestined to fall. "What do we do?" Jason panicked.<br>"I'll get us out of this!" Lepumon cried "Bubble Charger!"  
>Lepumon began to blow out. As he did, another azure bubble began to expand, only this time, the four partners were caught inside it. Lepumon now lifted his hand, and the bubble began to rise.<br>"No fair!" A Gotsumon called from below. "Now our combination wont reach you!"  
>"It will if they don't have that floating thing!" Golemon declared. "Sulfer Plume!"<br>Lepumon gasped as a jet of heat zoomed upward. The pure warmth coming off the wave caused the bubble to pop.  
>All four crashed to the ground, and the Gotsumon cheered.<br>"Rock Fist!" the one-armed one cried. He caused several medium-sized stones to rise into the air. These were flung toward the DigiDestined, who leapt out of the way.  
>"Boom Bubble!" Patamon cried. With an enormous intake of air, he sent the compressed projectile toward the one-armed Gotsumon, slicing clean through it and destroying it.<br>The remaining Gotsumon growled, and prepared to avenge their comrade. But, a growl from Golemon stopped them.  
>"Even if the three of you attack together, you will be destroyed" Golemon remarked simply. "But, let's see what these humans make of my own power! You who dare to call yourselves Digi Destined, let us see what you make of Golemon!"<br>With a hoot of excitement, the Gotsumon all stood back to watch as Golemon approached.  
>"What are our chances?" Dallas whispered.<br>"In this state? Almost nothing" Lepumon replied.  
>Sulfer Plume!" Golemon cried. a let of heat shot toward the DigiDestined, but fell short.<br>"It doesn't aim well" Patamon noted. "We may be able to use that to our advantage."  
>"How?" Jason sought. "That thing is huge!"<br>Dallas took a step forward. "Yeah, it's big. But we've got something it doesn't."  
>"What?" Jason asked.<br>"Dallas whipped out his Digivice. "These." Jason looked at the object and gasped. An emerald aura surrounded it. The same light that had manifest itself when the object first appeared.  
>"Let's do this." Dallas grinned. "Lepumon, are you ready?"<br>Lepumon nodded. "Do it."  
>"Without a word, Dallas lifted the digivice and pointed it at Lepumon. The action felt so normal, he knew what to do next. He concentrated his will and power into the device, and it happened. The light exploded from it and hit Lepumon.<br>Lepumon instantly rose into the air. "Lepumon! Digivolve to..." Light flashed. Arms and legs grew longer, more muscular. Wings sprouted, and scales appeared. Ears vanished, and were replaced with horns.  
>"Phasedramon!" Bellowed the new creature. It was a dragon, about the height of a man. Its green scales flashed in the faing light of evolution. It's legs were powerful, easilly able to kick down a tree. Its arms were also strong, making it look like a cross between a bodybuilder and a deadly beast.<br>Its claws were huge, but appeared to be retractable. They looked like steak knifes, but, strangely, didn't seem out of place or too long. When coupled with its huge and powerful wings, they looked magnificent. This was a predator. And it was good at what it did.  
>"Thanks" Phasedramon growled. "Now things get interesting."<br>The two Champion Digimon stood opposite each other: the brawny, yet clumsy, Golemon and the slender, yet powerful, Phasedramon. Both waited for the other to make a move.  
>Golemon lost the stalemate. He rushed in with a roar.<br>"Rock Punch!" he cried. His feet were immediately engulfed in earth, giving him stability as his fist swung forward.  
>Phasedramon didn't even move to dodge or recieve the attack. At the last instant, he seemed to shimmer. The rocky fist connected, and went straight through him.<br>"Sad" Phasedramon smirked "It looks like your armor isn't Digizoid. This will be fun."  
>With a movement almost too fast to see, "Untouchable Strike!" declared Phasedramon as he sidestepped and raked his clawed hand upward. For a single instant, his hand became tangible once more, slicing Golemon's arm clean off.<br>"Oops" Phasedramon grinned. "I guess I broke your favorite arm. Here, let me give you something even better: Drago Kick!" He ducked low, balancing on the palm of one hand and sweep-kicked Golemon's opposite leg, shattering it.  
>"Really puts the expression 'paid for with an arm and a leg' into perspective, now doesn't it?" Phasedramon laughed.<br>Dallas was speechless. Was this really the same Digimon who had cowered at the mere mention of Golemon's name? He realized that Digivolving had given Phasedramon so much confidence that that other side of him, which Dallas had seen only brief flashes of, emerged. That humorous, yet strong side.  
>Golemon was having difficulty balancing on one leg. "Golem Pummel!" he cried, attempting to strike Phasedramon with several quick blows. Sadly, the effort caused him to tip over and crash to the ground. He struggled back onto his one leg.<br>"Well, it's been nice, but we should really start wrapping this up" Phasedramon decided, pulling a handful of small green orbs seemingly from thin air.  
>Golemon gasped. "You wouldn't dare!"<br>Phasedramon simply gave his trademark grin. "You have a lot to learn about what I will and wont do." With that, he beat his huge wings and shot toward Golemon.  
>"PhaseDrago Bomber!" Phasedramon cried, becoming intangible as he passed through Golemon's chest. The Digimon gasped in sudden pain, and Phasedramon emerged again without the small orbs.<br>"That's gotta hurt" Jason commented.  
>Golemon's expresion was a combination of horror and surprise. Before he could even move an inch, he exploded in a pyro-kinetic display of verdant flames. Data flew in all directions, before magnetizing back to Phasedramon, who absorbed it all.<br>The Gotsumon who remained stood in horrified shock for a second before turning to run, but Phasedramon wouldn't allow it.  
>"Drago Beam!" he called. Jets of light shot from his eyes, cleaving two Gotsumon in half. Patamon quickly finished off the remaining Gotsumon with his Boom Bubble technique.<br>"Well" Phasedramon said casually. "Now that I can fly, what say we ge going?"  
>Dallas and Jason simply stood in shock. After a few seconds, a grin spread over Dallas's face.<br>"That was awesome. But, there's no way you can carry all of us."  
>"I can just fly" Patamon offered.<br>"But, only one person would be able to fly on his back" Jason pointed out to Patamon.  
>Phasedramon grinned. "Who said anything about riding on my back?"<br>Dallas looked at him in confusion before Phasedramon grabbed him. He struggled for a moment, but soon stopped when he realized what Phasedramon planned to do.

"Wahoo!" Dallas cried at the top of his lungs. "This is AWESOME!"  
>Jason, who was riding on Phasedramon's back, rolled his eyes as he looked down. Dallas was hanging from Phasedramon's claws, soaring along with nothing between him and the ground far below. He spread his arms with absolute elation.<br>"I'm the king of the world!" he couldn't resist calling. "This is the most amazing thing ever!"  
>"Next time" Jason called "I get to be down there!"<br>The group soon landed, and Phasedramon reverted to Lepumon. The four walked the streets of a deserted city.  
>"Let's find a place to set up camp" Dallas reccomended. "And when we wake up, I'll decide whether or not I'm going insane."<p>

"I appologize, master" Mercurymon bowed. "I thought that the forces I sent would be more than sufficient to take care of them."  
>"Yes, and you were mistaken" the figure sitting on the throne replied. "You underestimated your foes, Mercurymon. At least one of the children now holds the power to Digivolve his partner. This complicates matters greatly."<br>"I will not do so again, master" Mercurymon assured.  
>"And what will you do if they gain the power to defeat you?"<br>"They will not" Mercurymon spat. "But, sire, just to be certain, would you consider bestowing my other half upon me? If I had my full strength..."  
>"No" the frigid response came. "You are not ready for it. I appointed you my high lieutenant because you are level-headed and calculating. Taking in your full power before you train yourself to resist its power could reduce you to the savagery of some of our lowest sycophants."<br>Mercurymon nodded. "Yes, master. I will not underestimate the humans next time."  
>With that, he bowed and exited the room.<p>

First, let me clarify that Lepumon is not a new idea. There are several "Lepumon" ideas in existence. I did not know of the existence of any of these before creating my Lepumon design. Also, I did not base Lepumon off of any other Digimon, despite his very generic appearance. Just needed to clarify that.  
>Hooray! This is now my official longest chapter of any story I have written so far. I will celebrate with a cracker and a can of Sprite.<p>

Also, if you read this story, please review it. I have recently developed a case of depression because of my lack of reviews. So everyone please do me the favor.

Even Fire and Ice have a Dark side...


	2. Unlocking SkullGreymon 1: Angemon's Solo

Welcome once again my readers. I must warn you that our story today may be a bit shorter than the previous one. Indeed, most of the chapters will be shorter than the first one. How much shorter is debatable at best. Enjoy.

Ch.2 Unlocking SkullGreymon Pt1: Angemon's Solo.

The ruins of an ancient city opens the view in our new chapter. Presently, four figures are asleep around a campfire. They huddle on their mats made from enormous leaves. The night has been harsh, and supplies to stat a fire, much less keep one going, are scarce. It is no wonder why this town was abandoned. It has been stripped of all resources. Scorch marks desecrate the skeletons of long-dead trees. It is apparent that a great battle took place here, leaving the land in its current state.  
>The first of the quartet to wake is a small, orange figure with large batlike wings. Patamon shakes himself free of the morning dew and looks over to see that the fire has gone out. It seems that Lepumon, who was supposed to be tending the fire, has passed out. Patamon adds a few logs to the fire and attempts to light it. The measley attempt fails, and Patamon decides to wake the others, worried that they might be attacked in the meantime.<br>Unknown to Patamon, a shadowy Digimon is watching him. It observes him for a moment before running down the avenue. It approaches an old house and pulls a brick from the wall. This causes a trapdoor to open, letting the Digimon free-fall into a new chamber.  
>The dark chamber is lined with rune-covered blocks. It glows lightly in the ruined cavern. The Digimon hurries down a passage until it reaches a large gate. The rusty metal is sectioned into three smaller barriers, depicting the Cardinal Points of a compass. A large "N" is carved above the top triangle of metal, while a "W" and "E" are carved outside the left and right sides of the gate respectively. Finally, a large "S" marks the bottom of the base delta. Each letter includes a small indentation in the center. The gate sections make up a great metal barrier which has remained unopened for hundreds of years.<br>In the center of said barrier is a golden sphere, about six inches in diameter. The surface of the orb is unmarked, save for a small rune in the very center. Despite over a century of dust and grime, the globe remains as perfectly polished as the day it was placed into the gate.  
>The observer shudders as a great roar rips through the air. The inhuman howl echoes through the tunnels. For the sake of the guests sleeping above, the observer hopes it does not reach the streets.<br>As he walks away, the observer wonders: "What horrible beast could be so evil that it would be sealed away forever?"

Dallas woke to see that the rest of his group was already preparing to move out. He rose from his place of slumber, and pain coarsed through his back. He looked down in disgust at the leaf on which he was sleeping. "Mental note" he muttered. "Find some sort of sleeping bags as soon as possible."  
>Lepumon noticed that Dallas was awake and walked over to him.<br>"Sorry about the fire" Lepumon apologized. "I passed out while I was tending it. It takes a lot of energy to Digivolve, and I was already tired to begin with."  
>"Oh, Lepumon!" Dallas chided. "Who even let you watch the fire? Of course you needed to rest!"<br>Lepumon smiled. "I think I could really get to like you, Dallas."  
>"C'mon guys!" Jason called. "We need to get going if we want to reach the other end of the town before noon!"<br>"Why noon?" Dallas asked Lepumon.  
>"Because noon is the most likely time for a Trailmon or Locomon to come by" Lepumon replied. "Or, if we're lucky, we could find a GranTrailmon, though I doubt it would stop long enough to give us a ride."<br>None of this made any sense to Dallas, but he shrugged and continued walking.

* * *

><p>"I have a plan."<br>Mercurymon knelt before his master once more, prepared to reveal his idea.  
>The master sighed. "This had better be good, Mercurymon. I am not patient with plans that might fail, especially now that Lepumon has regained the ability to Digivolve."<br>Mercurymon nodded. "Believe me master, this plan is almost guaranteed to work."  
>The master's eyes narrowed. "I don't like the word "almost" in your idea. If you fail, wasting more of my resources, I might have to assign someone else to the mission."<br>Mercurymon smirked. "You know as well as I do that you wouldn't entrust this mission to anyone else."  
>The master was silent for a moment. "It is true, of course. Remember though, you are my best assistant, but that does not make you irreplaceable."<br>Mercorymon's smirk faded. "Trust me master, irreplaceable will be a thing of the past once I bring in those two wretched Digimon."  
>"You've made a big deal about this plan" the master noted "But you've yet to reveal its nature. So, what is it?"<br>Mercurymon rose. "Simple, master. The children are in the ruins of the Agumon villiage. I plan to release SkullGreymon."  
>A sharp intake of breath revealed the master's surprise. This was quickly covered by his regular cool composure "A feat which has been attempted many times in the past century, but never fulfilled. "What makes you think you can do any different?"<br>"Because" Mercurymon replied. "I heard from a reliable source that we happen to possess three of the Cardinal Keys."  
>"The master's tone revealed no confirmation nor negation. "And from what source did you recieve this information?"<br>Mercurymon hesitated. "From Tsukaimon."  
>The master cursed. "That Digimon is such a gossip. I swear, half of the Dark Legions know some of my most private secrets because of his prattling. I will not deny, however, that we do indeed have all of the keys, save for for the North Key."<br>"And I believe I may be able to remedy that" Mercurymon replied. "My team recently uncovered a strange artifact in a temple quite far to the north. In fact, it may be the northernmost settlement in the Digital World."  
>"Indeed?" the master was quite interested now. "And where, pray tell, is this artifact now?"<br>"On it's way to the ruins via a Halsemon." Mercurymon replied.  
>The master snickered. "You are so certain that I will grant your request that you gain the other three key that you have sent the North Key already?"<br>"Think about it sir" Mercurymon began. "Before he was sealed away, SkullGreymon was strong enough to ravage a city which stood for thousands of years. This was the birthplace of the legendary AncientGreymon. And SkullGreymon leveled it in an hour. If he still remembers his allegiances, he would become one of our most powerful assets."  
>The master considered it. "It is a tempting idea, and it will be avery effective way to rid of those vile children. I suppose I will have to grant this request."<br>"Thank you master" Mercurymon groveled. "Trust me, this plan is foolproof."

* * *

><p>Dallas grumbled as he walked down the street. He carried a makeshift backpack constructed from the few remaining sticks that could be salvaged. The leaves which had been used for sleeping mats tied the whole thing together, creating a combination of a rucksack and a hiker's pack. It was formless and uncomfortable, but it held the few posessions which the group had, minus the digivices, which Patamon insisted might be needed at any time.<br>"It's creepy here" Jason noted. "I know that the Agumon village has been abandoned for over a century, but I feel like we're being watched."  
>"So do I" Patamon remarked from atop Jason's head. "I keep thinking I'm seeing things moving around."<br>"That's impossible" Lepumon insisted. "Unless there's some hidden source of water and food here, nothing could survive."  
>"Maybe that's exactly what it is" Dallas suggested. "These ruins could hide all sorts of secrets. Why don't we take the day to explore, and catch a Trailmon tomorrow?"<br>"Too risky" Patamon insisted. If we take even a day to slow down, Mercurymon could find us."  
>It was then that a loud scream rang out from a passageway.<br>"Or maybe" Lepumon said grimly. "He already has."  
>The horrible scream came again, and the sound ripped straight through Dallas's heart.<br>"We have to help whoever it is" he decided. "If it's Mercurymon doing it, I'm going to introduce him to my new friend Phasedramon."  
>"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Patamon asked. "Lepumon is still wiped out from yesterday's battle. He might not be able to make it."<br>Lepumon looked up with determination. "I hate it whenever people get hurt, especially for me. I'm going to do whatever I have to to protect the innocents."  
>"This isn't some TV show!" Jason scolded him. "Just because you're able to turn into some huge lizard, doesn't mean you're Superman. Whatever is making that noise may have no connection to Mercurymon!"<br>Lepumon turned without a word and began to walk down the path. There was no reasoning against his choice.  
>Dallas turned to Jason. "I don't think you're going to be able to change his mind."<br>Jason shrugged. "I already knew that, but what's a good fight without a bit of drama?"  
>Dallas nodded before following his partner up the street.<p>

"Tell me where the entrance is!" Mercurymon threatened. "If you refuse, I will make it extremely uncomfortable for you."  
>"Never!" Mercurymon's target replied. "You caan kill as many of us as you wish, but we will never reveal our secrets!"<br>Mercurymon growled. "Then I suppose I'll have to tear these pathetic ruins apart, brick by brick, starting with you!"  
>The target cringed as Mercurymon raised his reflective shield.<br>"Reflector..." Mercurymon began. The round weapon began to glow, before a strong force knocked his aim off. At that exact second, Mercurymon cried "...Beam!" and a white explosion hit the wall inches from the target's head.  
>"What?" Mercurymon cried in rage. "Who did that?"<br>"I did" came the reply. Mercurymon turned to see Lepumon and Dallas standing there.  
>"Ah, just the two outlaws I wanted to see" Mercurymon crooned. "Unfortunately, you are not my focus at the moment, so leave this place."<br>"Not likely" Dallas rebutted threateningly. To Lepumon, he whispered, "What is that Digimon he's attacking?"  
>"That's a ToyAgumon" Lepumon replied. "That's probably who's been watching us all day."<br>Dallas nodded. "Well, we need to protect that ToyAgumon. Do you think you have enough strength to Digivolve?"  
>Lepumon nodded. "I can draw Mercurymon's focus away from ToyAgumon, then you get Jason and Patamon to help you rescue him."<br>"Alright" Dallas replied. He lifted his digivice and pointed it at Lepumon "Let's do this!"  
>The now familiar beam of white light pulsed from the Digivice display and engulfed Lepumon. Cords of data burst forth and solidified into new limbs. Within a second, the evolution was complete.<br>"Phasedramon!" roared said totally kick-butt dragon of awesomeness. "Now we'll get this done!"  
>With a burst of speed, Phasedramon rocketed over to Mercurymon, who sneered.<br>"Your powers of intangibility don't threaten me, My armor is more than a match for you!" Mercurymon cackled as he raised his shield.  
>"Reflector Beam!" he cried. The attack lanced toward Phasedramon, who became intangible. Unfortunately, the wave of power was not fooled, and Phasedramon was knocked back.<br>Meanwhile, Dallas and his two companions made their way over to ToyAgumon.  
>"We're here to help you" Jason whispered. "Come with us."<br>ToyAgumon nodded and followed them. When they were safely out of range, the group turned back to the fight.  
>Phasedramon wasn't doing well. Without his ability to avoid attacks, he was forced to rely on speed to avoid Mercurymon's attacks.<br>"You know that nothing you do is able to affect me" Mercurymon gloated. "You are still out of energy from the attack I launched yesterday."  
>"He's right" ToyAgumon commented from the sidelines. It was then that he noticed the type of digivice which Dallas held.<br>"You use a D-Power to evolve your partner?" He asked. Dallas nodded. "Then use a Digimodify card!"  
>"A what?" Dallas asked in confusion.<br>"You don't even know what that is, do you?" ToyAgumon sighed. "Digimodifier cards allow you to assist your partner in battles. I can try to provide some for you if you'd like."  
>"Sure!" Dallas replied. "Any help I can give Phasedramon is appreciated."<br>ToyAgumon nodded and raised his hand. Instantly, a small half-deck of cards materialized, as well as a small holder for them. ToyAgumon immediately collapsed.  
>"Thank You" Dallas said appreciatively. Turning to Phasedramon, he chose a card labeled Power Plus and swiped it through the side reader.<br>"Digimodify! Power Plus" he called, pointing the display toward his partner. Instantly, Phasedramon was filled with power, feeling completely energized once more. He was still feeling the effects of the blows, nad the power surge was only temporary, but he felt as if he could move a mountain.  
>"Now let's try this one" Dallas decided. "Digimodify! Speed Booster!"<br>Phasedramon's already alarming speed boosted once more, allowing him to barrage Mercurymon with an even more ferocious barrage of punches.  
>Despite this, Mercurymon looked barely fazed. He raised both Irony Shields and clapped them together.<br>"Deafening Tone!" He clamored, causing waves to bounce away from the two mirrors.  
>The effect was instantaneous. Phasedramon stopped dead mid-leap. He crumpled to the ground, grabbed at his head and let out a tortured howl.<br>"What's wrong with him?" Dallas asked.  
>"Mercurymon's shockwaves are causing him immense pain" ToyAgumon explained. "It's a cruel tactic which is employed by Digimon to paralyze their foes in order to escape, or land a fatal blow. If the user is more powerful than their opponents by a certain ammount, it can even destroy their data. It's just the type of Dirty trick I would expect from Mercurymon."<br>Said Digimon began to back away, turning to run.  
>"We can't just let him escape!" Jason protested.<br>"It's no use" ToyAgumon replied. "Your only Champion Digimon is incapacitated. "I'm genuinely surprised that he held up so well against Mercurymon."  
>Phasedramon turned in exhaustion to the group. He slumped to the floor and reverted into Lepumon.<br>"Can't I use a Digimodifier to heal him or something?" Dallas protested.  
>"No use" ToyAgumon replied. "Such items are rare at best. It would be well beyond my power to create one."<br>Dallas realized that ToyAgumon had sacrificed a huge ammount of enrgy to generate the cards. "I'm sorry for forcing you into creating those cards for me" he told him.  
>"It was for a good cause" ToyAgumon panted "Defeating Mercurymon is essential, especially to stop him from his mission here."<br>"What exactly is he planning?" Jason asked,  
>ToyAgumon nodded. "Pure horror. Mercurymon is planning to release SkullGreymon."<br>Lepumon and Patamon gasped in horror, but Jason and Dallas simply looked at ToyAgumon in confusion.  
>"Who is he?" Dallas sought.<br>"A horrible Digimon from long ago" ToyAgumon replied. "There is a legend among my people, although this particular legend is undoubtedly true.  
>"It is said that long ago, a Greymon who was extremely boastful decided that he would prove himself a legend by defeating the leader of the Agumon villiage: AncientGreymon.<br>"He prepared for years in training, and came to challenge AncientGreymon.  
>"Unfotunately, AncientGreymon defeated him easilly. He humiliated the poor Greymon for a long time, before he was called away.<br>"This Greymon was scarred for life. Not only had he been humiliatingly defeated, but AncientGreymon had made a point of mocking him about it. His honor was shattered, and he left the villiage.  
>"Many years later, that same Greymon returned. But now, he was a terribly powerful monster. The villiagers were horrified. This once great hero had become a dark beast.<br>"With their leader gone, they watched helplessly as Greymon digivolved into SkullGreymon, becoming a monster driven by raw power and rage. He desecrated the city and nearly killed everyone.  
>"As a last resort, the ancient Agumon used an unknown power source to create a prison deep beneath the earth and seal him inside. The four keys to this prison were cast to the four corners of the globe, hopefully never to be brought together again."<br>ToyAgumon paused to let his story sink in, before continuing.  
>"Sadly, the dedication transformed the Agumon into ClearAgumon, and their descendants to ToyAgumon. It is said that on the day that SkullGreymon is released, then driven out, the curse will be lifted. Until then, we were to keep the keys from being joined."<br>"That's horrible" Dallas spoke up. "So you are forced to keep the prison closed, which keeps the curse from being lifted?"  
>ToyAgumon nodded. "It's a high price to pay, but it's better than allowing SkullGreymon to run free."<br>"I can understand that" Jason spoke up. "If SkullGreymon got loose, it would be like doomsday for you guys, wouldn't it?"  
>"Essentially" ToyAgumon agreed. "And now that Mercurymon has all four keys..."<br>"Hold on" Dallas cut in. "Mercurymon has the keys to the prison? As in, the four that were scattered to the far corners of the map?"  
>"The same" ToyAgumon agreed glumly. "He told me he plans to release SkullGreymon and set him upon four travelers, who I presume are you four. He is the one who told me the nature of the beast. The legends simply say that Greymon became a hideous monster, but now I'm sure it must be him."<br>"Then we have to stop him" Patamon insisted. "But with our current power, we barely have enough power to annoy Mercurymon, much less damage him. "We'll need to recruit a team to help drive him off."  
>"We can do that" ToyAgumon replied. "But, first, we will need to gather my friends."<br>"Great" Dallas cheered. "Where are they?"  
>ToyAgumon looked around. "Well, I see one's arm up on that roof. I'm guessing it's my brother, but it might also be the ToyAgumon who's always on sentry duty..."<br>"Wait" Lepumon vocalized. "When you said "gather" your friends, you literally meant gather up pieces of them?"  
>"Yes" ToyAgumon explained. "We're made of bricks, so our bodies can be seperated without killing us. It is an emergency self-defence technique which lets us seperate without being killed."<br>"But it will take hours to find every piece" Dallas complained.  
>"Not necessarily" ToyAgumon corrected. "We must simply find one piece from each ToyAgumon, and then we can magnetize them back together. Plus, once we assemble one or two, they can regenerate each other, so we'll be able to continue on our mission."<br>"Sweet" Jason remarked. "So, let's get started!"  
>They decided to have Patamon fly up and grab the arm. As soon as he grasped it, an orb of light surrounded it. In a few seconds, the other pieces of the ToyAgumon came flying back to the arm's location. With a whirring sound, they assembled themselves into a perfect ToyAgumon.<br>"Thanks for that" the new ToyAgumon thanked Patamon. "I've been meaning to disperse myself for a while, so I could find my tail, but never had a good excuse to."  
>The ToyAgumon which the DigiDestined had rescued recognized the voice. "Tailless!" he cried. "It's you!"<br>"Bricker!" Tailless greeted "Heh, guess you can't really call me tailless anymore. I've got it back now!" he fliped around and displayed his plastic tail.  
>"I'll take your word for it" Bricker replied quickly, shielding his eyes.<br>"Tailless fliped back around. "I'm guessing that these are the four who Mercurymon was talking about. The ones who he wants SkullGreymon to kill?"  
>"That's us" Dallas said with a wave. "You are free to run away in panic, but it would be much kinder if you stayed and helped us."<br>Tailless considered it. "If SkullGreymon gets out, we all die. But, if SkullGreymon gets out and is driven away for good, then the curse is lifted. I can't say I'm not tempted."  
>"C'mon" Bricker pleaded. "We might be able to do something that has only been imagined these last hundred years!"<br>Tailless nodded. "I suppose it couldn't hurt..."  
>"Great!" Bricker cheered.<br>Almost on cue, a thundering could be heard, coming down the street.  
>"Uh-oh" Bricker muttered. "Something tells me that Mercurymon hasn't forgotten about us."<br>"That's my cue" Tailless added, before dashing down the street. "I'll get everybody put back together while you guys blow up bad guys!"  
>The five remaining figures turned in the direction of the vibrations.<br>"Let's hope it's just some more Gotsumon and not something too strong" Dallas remarked.  
>Around the corner did indeed come a group of eight Gotsumon. The rocky foes gave a battle cry as they advanced quickly.<br>"Does Mercurymon really think we can't take them on?" Lepumon asked.  
>Jason inspected the approaching threat. "These ones look strange... more powerful."<br>"Get ready suckers!" the lead Gotsumon yelled. "We've got a little surprise for all of you!"  
>A flash of light lance through the air, and all eight Gotsumon were consumed. Dallas and Jason gasped. They had seen this light before.<br>"No way" Jason muttered. "It's not possible..."  
>"Monochromon!" the Digimon cried unanimously. The light dispersed, and eight Champion-Level Digimon had replaaced the Gotsumon. Their armored bodies and giant horns showed off their immense strength.<br>"This is bad" Patamon stated. "Lepumon is still wiped out from his attack on Mercurymon, as well as all the energy he spent yesterday. There's no way we can beat them all!"  
>"Then we have to run" Dallas decided.<br>The group turned as one and dashed away. The Monochromon followed close behind, slamming their horns against the walls and causing major damage.  
>"Volcanic Strike!" one called. It opened its mouth and spewed a fireball. The projectile flew forward and erupted against a wall.<br>"So now they can shoot fireballs?" Jason complained. "Why don't we get fireballs?"  
>"I have fireballs" ToyAgumon informed him. "But they're made of plastic."<br>"Well, that's just great" Jason snapped. "At least we know that you can shoot plastic. I'm sure that's going to terrify a band of fire-breathing dinosaurs!"  
>The group ran as quickly as possible. Luckilly, there was nothing left in the surroundings that could catch fire. Of course, flamable objects in a city full of fire-breathing reptiles would have been foolish to begin with, but there was always a chance.<br>"There's nothing we can do about them!" Dallas screamed. "Lepumon is too wiped out to turn into Phasedramon, and I doubt even he would be able to defeat all of them!"  
>"We have to get to higher ground, that might help us keep them at bay" Patamon vocalized.<br>The others nodded and turned to travel up a sloped avenue. They soon made it to one of the higher points in the city and found themselves charging through a large open marketplace. There were no longer any stalls, making the area the perfect size and shape of an arena.  
>"We'll make our stand here" Jason decided. "Let's roll out our battle gear and hope for a miracle."<br>Dallas nodded, pulling his hammer from the makeshift bag on his back. Jason ushered Lepumon off to the side, giving him time to rest. Patamon prepared to launch his Boom Bubble, which was likely to be rather ineffective, but was the best he could currently offer. ToyAgumon began to create small puffs of plastic smoke, which was quite bizarre to see, since the smoke became solid plasic as it floated away.  
>The Monochromon rounded the bend and roared as they approached. The DigiDestined and Digimon prepared for the onslaught.<br>The lead Monochromon reached Dallas first. He vaulted to the left and swung his hammer as the beast passed. There was a solid crunch from the connection, but no real damage was inflicted. Despite this, the Digimon recoiled in surprise, not expecting such a powerful onslaught from the small human.  
>The rest of the team fared only slightly better. ToyAgumon used his Plastic Blaze technique to launch plastic bullets shaped like flames. They were only mildly effective, and didn't damage the Monochromon in the slightest.<br>Patamon's Boom Bubble, which had previously been able to easilly cleave the Rookie-Level Gotsumon apart only knocked its target back slightly. The Monochromon did not even seem annoyed. They treated the most powerful attacks the team could muster like a swarm of mosquitos.  
>"We can't keep this up" ToyAgumon grunted as he dodged a fireball. "There's no hope in this fight!"<br>"Not quite!" called a voice from the sidelines. Dallas looked over to see Jason wielding a stick.  
>"Jason, are you insane? Stay with Lepumon!" Dallas called. Jason paid him no heed as he dashed toward an attacker. His branch flicked forward and instantly snapped in half against the Monochromon's armor.<br>Jason looked up in horror as the Digimon reared up.  
>"Slamming Attack!" Monochromon cried, preparing to fling himself down and crush the annoyance.<br>At that instant, two things happened very quickly. Jason and Patamon both cried out with a unified scream. The second was that a beam of light lanced out of Jason's Digivice toward Patamon, who was rushing toward Jason at the time.  
>The light engulfed Patamon, and a field of energy surrounded him.<br>"Patamon, Digivolve to..." called Patamon. Cylinders of data emerged from his body to form muscular arms and legs. A visor and crop of hair covered his now-humanoid head. Wings emerged, and the transformation was completed.  
>"Angemon!" bellowed the new Digimon. Angemon now stood over six feet tall with angellic wings spreading like huge swathes of clothing. He was strong ang perfectly able to handle the threat.<br>"Angel Rod! he cried, thrusting out his staff and catching the Mono chromon under the chin. The lever stopped Monochromon's descent dead, and Angemon quickly swung his staff, smacking the adversary in the side of the head. Data erupted as the Digimon dispersed. Meanwhile, the other Monochromon noticed the commotion and turned to look.  
>Angemon grabbed Jason and ToyAgumon and flew them over to Dallas. He turned around, all seven Monochromon lined up before him.<br>Angemon smirked as he casually lifted his fist. "Hand of Fate!" he called, causing the enemies to shudder in fear.  
>A beam of powerful energy launched forth from Angemon's hand. The Monochromon gave very human-sounding screams and turned to run. Not a single one made it, as the destructive beam punched through them, obliterating them and leaving only data behind.<br>Unfortunately, the effort was so great that Angemon collapsed and reverted into Patamon. He grinned as he looked at his dumbfounded teammates.  
>"Told you I could" he managed before he fainted.<br>Nobody moved for a moment, until Jason picked Patamon up and smiled.  
>"I think our chances of winning this thing just got better."<p>

* * *

><p>Mercurymon sneered as he looked up at the great Aeolian Gate. The ToyAgumon really must have been fools if they didn't believe he would find it. The task wasn't even that difficult. He simply used his power to create magnetic waves, which acted like a type of sonar, to search for the cave. It had been child's play, really.<br>Slowly, he placed the small green key he held up against the letter S on the floor. The key slid in with a click and transformed into a flawless section of the letter.  
>Copying this action with the West and East gates, the blue and yellow keys respectively, he now looked upon a nearly completed Aeolian Gate.<br>"As soon as that Halsemon is intercepted, I will unlock the prison door and release SkullGreymon!" he gloated to nobody in particular. "Then, we shall see if those idiotic children can stand against his power!"  
>Just then, a Gotsumon aproached the gate from the tunnel.<br>"Master Mercurymon, sir!" he called. "Halsemon has been spotted flying toward the city gate!"  
>Mercurymon smiled. It is nearly time. Prepare to take this city, and destroy the DigiDestined!"<br>To Be Continued...

Yeah, I just couldn't resist that last bit. This is a two-part mini-arc in our story. I'm sorry if too much excitement is happening too soon, but I have everything planned out in my head.  
>Oh, and please read my other stories if you have the time. I really appreciate hearing feedback on them.<br>Also, I'm on a quest to decide on a new story ending. I'll be using my current one until then, but if you have an idea, put it down in the reviews.

Even Fire and Ice have a Dark side...


	3. USG Part 2: Keeping It In the Family

I've decided that from now on, I will be identifying each Digimon individually as it is introduced. I might also find ways to identify Digimon I've already introduced, but more on that later.

Also, Some of you may have noticed that all of my chapter names have something to do with a stage, or performance. I've decided that this will not always hold true, as seen in this chapter.

I realized that I should probably be doing disclaimers on my stuff, so here one is:

Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon (if I did, I'd be making this story into an actual show instead of a fanfic) however, Dallas, Jason, Lepumon, and all of Lepumon's Digivolved forms belong to me. Archemon and Houndmon are also mine.

Ch.2: Unlocking SkullGreymon Part 2: Keeping it in the Family.

Jason looked into the sky and noticed a small creature flying overhead.  
>"Any idea what that is?" he asked ToyAgumon.<br>Dallas, who was currently fiddling with his Digivice, suddenly saw the screen change, and a definition of the flying creature appeared.  
>"That's Halsemon, an Armor-level Digimon. It's a powerful flyer, and if its appearance doesn't scare you, its Mach Impulse or Tempest Wing techniques will blow you away. But, something tells me this brute isn't here for a fight."<br>"It looks more like it's running from something" Lepumon commented thoughtfully.  
>"How do you know all that?" Jason asked Dallas. Dallas held up his Digivice, showing the text detailing Halsemon. "Dunno why, but this thing has started identifying Digimon. Like this." He pointed the device in ToyAgumon's direction, and new data appeared.<br>"This is ToyAgumon, a Rookie Digimon who is rumored to have been created when Agumon came into contact with some online building program, although we know he's a true Agumon at heart. His Plastic Blaze isn't the most effective, but when he joins forces with others, the results can get... explosive."  
>"Well" Patamon spoke up. "I vote that we follow Halsemon. If it's a friend, we can help it in whatever it's trying to do. On the other hand, if it's an enemy, we've got more than enough power to take it out. Both Lepumon and I have regained our strength, so we should investigate. It's our only lead so far today."<br>The others agreed, and the group set off after Halsemon.  
>Within moments, the armored eagle began to descend. It seemed to be taking refuge somewhere in the city.<br>Dallas was in front, so he wasn't prepared when Halsemon struck out at him upon entering an open area. This small expanse was roughly the size of a baseball diamond, and Halsemon was seeking refuge in this spot.  
>"Watch it!" Dallas cried as Halsemon's wings nearly shaved his arm off.<br>"Why are you following me? The bird Digimon asked. "I could see you below me. Are you friend, or enemy?"  
>"Friend, I hope" Jason replied. "We were wondering if you had any idea what Mercurymon is doing in the city. You were flying up above, so I wondered if you spotted him."<br>Halsemon spat, which was no small feat with the large helmet-like armor over its face. "Mercurymon's servants turned me into this and threatened to kill me if I didn't stop here. They said something about delivering a key to Mercurymon in this city."  
>ToyAgumon gasped. "So it's true. Mercurymon found at least the North key and is using it toward opening SkullGreymon's prison!"<br>"Precisely" came a voice from behind them. They turned to see two figures walking toward them.  
>Halsemon hissed and Jason whipped out his Digivice to assess the new arrivals.<br>"The tall one with the hunter's outfit and the bow is Archemon. This Champion Digimon's only goal is to bring down his prey, no matter how powerful they are. His Arrow of Woe will strike straight into a Digimon's Digi-core, destroying smaller foes. And, if he can't finish the job, his wicked partner, Houndmon is always up for a chase.  
>"Speaking of whom, the black dog thing is Houndmon, another Champion. He's Archemon's partner, and can track anything that breathes. His Call of the Hunt attack will paralyze anyone who hears him, allowing him to finish them off with his sneaky Canine Strike."<br>"Archemon grinned. "That's me, and the target of my hunt is a little something which your new buddy there is carrying, so just step away, and only one person gets hurt."  
>"Can't you just take it?" Jason asked. "Not that you're going to get it or anything, but taking it would be less violent."<br>Archemon smiled. "Well, let me explain something to you: When Mercurymon had this little Hawkmon transformed into Halsemon, he used a sort of mock Digi-Egg of Love made from the collected data of several Wind Guardian Digimon. However, he ordered the artifact to be placed within it, so I have to revert Halsemon to a Rookie, absorb the Digi-Egg, and take the key. Sound simple enough?"  
>Dallas spread his arms in front of Halsemon. "No. I wont let you lay a finger on him!"<br>Archemon's grin widened. "I don't have to. Arrow of Woe!"  
>Archemon brought up his bow and pulled back the string. An arrow materialized before shooting forward.<br>Dallas thought for sure that he was dead, but someone tackled him at the last instant, bringing him away from the arrow's path.  
>Halsemon was not so lucky. He had tried to take flight, and the arrow had lodged in his shoulder. He gave a scream as dark energy coursed through the wound.<br>"Call of the Hunt!" Houndmon called. Jason, ToyAgumon and Patamon were able to cover their ears. Halsemon, Dallas, and Lepumon-the person who knocked Dallas from the arrow's path-were not. All three were paralyzed by the sound.  
>"Let's finish him" Houndmon decided. Archemon nodded, and the two prepared a combination attack.<br>"Wolf Arrow" they called simultaneously. Archemon's arrow impacted Houndmon, causing him to glow gold and fly toward Halsemon. He impacted so quickly, nobody was able to react. Halsemon reverted to Hawkmon, and the pseudo Digi-Egg of Love materialized.  
>Houndmon retrieved the egg, and Archemon crushed it into data, revealing only a small, gold Renamon statue, which was fitted with a single red gem for an eye.<br>"We got it" Archemon commented. Without warning, he drew his bow once more and fired. The arrow flew straight and true and embedded itself in the newly reverted Hawkmon's chest.  
>Hawkmon gasped as he felt the projectile inside him. He slowly fell backward, lying still as he was slowly being deleted.<br>Dallas, who could now move once more, was furious. "What was that for?"  
>Archemon's smile did not waver in the least. "My assignment was to defeat Halsemon. I may interpret that as a charge to defeat Hawkmon as well. So, my work here is done."<br>Archemon and Houndmon vanished, and everyone ran over to the slowly dying Hawkmon.  
>"That was a dirty trick" Jason spat. "Is there anything we can do to help you?"<br>Hawkmon gasped slightly. "There is nothing anyone can do, unless they wished to end it more quickly. Archemon loves to kill slowly and painfully, but I wouldn't dare to ask any of you to strike a finishing blow." Hawkmon wheezed. His body was almost completely degenerated as he spoke. "I am thankful that I am myself once more. I thank you for that, and will remember you, if I can."  
>"But, you just return as a Digi-Egg, don't you?" Dallas asked.<br>Hawkmon nodded. "I do, but I will not remember this life. I will be as a newborn infant, all my memory erased."  
>Jason was crying. Patamon was trying to be strong, but everyone could see the tears in his eyes. ToyAgumon's plastic face forbade him to show emotion, and Lepumon's fur was damp with tears.<br>Dallas's expression was probably the worst, because he had none. Despite the fact that he tried, no tears came. No sadness crossed his face.  
>Hawkmon did not mind. "You find it difficult to express your emotions. They are always built up within you, and you won't let them out. I think that you will learn not to be ashamed. You will learn that it's okay to cry..." Hawkmon's gaze went once more to the sky. "Such a wide open sky. I look forward to flying it again, someday..." with that, Hawkmon vanished- only his data remaining.<br>"Take it" Dallas ordered Lepumon. "We'll bring it to wherever the Digimon are reborn and return it to him there. It's the least we can do."  
>Lepumon nodded and absorbed the data. There was nothing left here, so they stood and began to walk.<p>

As requested, the North Key" Archemon grinned. "You should have seen the looks on their faces when I deleted Hawkmon! They were all 'Oh no! The totally awesome Digimon just shot Hawkmon with an arrow! Tears, tears!'"  
>Mercurymon tuned Archemon out. He had better things to do than listen to this idiot prattle on about himself. The task was nearly complete.<br>"That is fascinating, Archemon, but I really need to focus now. Those blasted ToyAgumon have sealed the previous entrance to the Aeolian gate, and we don't have a way to reopen it!"  
>Archemon smiled. "I think I might have just the Digimon for the job." He clapped his hands and two small objects were summoned.<br>"We have here, the combination of all the Insectoid Digimon data we have procured. And, here we have my little accomplice." He indicated the small creature in the cage.  
>"Meet Armadillomon. He's a Rookie at the moment, but he's a little devil. His Diamond Shell attack can send any Digimon stumbling, but his purpose here is much more... physical."<br>Archemon turned to the cage and motioned Houndmon to open it. The cell opened, and Armadillomon stepped out.  
>"Digi-Armor Energize!" Archemon commanded. Immediately, a flash of light filled the room and a new Digimon sat hunched on the ground.<br>"Now, allow me to introduce Digmon, another Armor-level Digimon who specializes in digging. If anything gets in his way, his Gold Rush attack will strike it down!"  
>Mercurymon nodded. "I'm impressed. This is the precise ability we need for this situation."<br>Archemon smirked. "Now, I assume our little deal is still in effect?"  
>Mercurymon frowned. "Indeed, you may return to the base and receive your reward. I still don't approve of the master paying you, especially since you are one of his subjects, but you made a good argument, and I will verify your success."<br>Archemon nodded. "Of course, my unique style of payment assists me only in the one cause Houndmon and I care for-the hunt. I will take my leave, and you can watch this rock-pile burn, even though rocks don't... well you know what I mean. Apollo's Gate!"  
>Archemon fired his arrow toward a spot in front of him, where a vortex of light opened up. He stepped inside, followed closely by Houndmon, and was gone.<br>Mercurymon nodded. "Now, Digmon, show me what you can do and dig!"  
>The Digimon nodded and plunged a drill-tipped fist into the earth. Within moments, he was tunneling toward the great Aeolian Gate, and the evil which it contained.<p>

"We're too late" ToyAgumon groaned. Mercurymon must have used some sort of burrowing Digimon to reach the chamber!"  
>"What are we waiting for then?" Dallas asked. "We're at full power and ready to take on anything Mercurymon can throw at us!"<br>Jason nodded. "We need to hurry if we want to stop him. For all we know, he's already waking up SkullGreymon!"  
>They all agreed and took the plunge down into the tunnel, hoping that they weren't too late.<p>

The scene that met them was shocking. All around the cavern, Mercurymon, Digmon, and several Gotsumon were being attacked by ToyAgumon. There were easily forty in the cavern, and they were winning.  
>As Dallas watched, a Digimon which was slightly different from the rest jumped in front of Mercurymon.<br>"Precious Flame!" he called. A plastic fireball was hurled at Mercurymon, who barely managed to raise one of his Irony Shields before the projectile exploded.  
>Dallas lifted his Digivice. "That's ClearAgumon, a Rookie Digimon, and, apparently a member of the original tribe who lived here long ago! His Precious Flame attack is highly explosive, so it's no wonder he's survived all this time. I've heard of longevity, but ClearAgumon offspring are always ToyAgumon, so he must be at least 100 years old!"<br>ClearAgumon shot Mercurymon again, who simply reflected the attack once more.  
>"You will not succeed!" ClearAgumon's voice rang out. His voice vibrated, like the sound made when someone blows over the top of a glass bottle. "Your comrades are falling. You will not unleash that monster!"<br>Mercurymon sneered, but it was true. Nearby, several Gotsumon fell to a single ToyAgumon. Several more ToyAgumon broke through a stalactite with their molten breath, nearly crushing Digmon.  
>"STOP!" Mercurymon bellowed unexpectedly. "Gotsumon, retreat to the upper level, I want to have a little conversation with our new arrivals."<br>Mercurymon looked straight at Dallas, and he felt as though he was being plunged into ice water. Those eyes had seen things that men shoved into the deepest, darkest, parts of their minds and tried with all their might to forget. Those eyes had seen unspeakable things; torturous things; murderous things.  
>"Hello boys" Mercurymon called, his mouth twisted into the almost ever-present smirk which he wore. "You're just in time. These lovely Digimon were just showing me the way to the Aeolian Gate."<br>"We were doing no such thing!" ClearAgumon stated. "You will leave now, or you will suffer the consequences!"  
>Mercurymon pretended to consider it. "How about... no."<br>With that, he thrust his arms to the sides and grinned.  
>"Shattering Serenade!" he cried, before letting out the most horrible screech anyone in the room had ever heard. The sound impacted all of the ToyAgumon in the cavern, save for Bricker, who was still in the tunnel, and knocked them apart in an instant. Mercurymon and Digmon now stood alone in the room. None of the ToyAgumon had actually been deleted, but their pieces were strewn everywhere.<br>"That takes care of the welcoming committee" Mercurymon commented. "Now, I want to savor this moment as you watch the great Aeolian gate parts for the first time in a century!"  
>Dallas ran forward in an attempt to stop him, but Mercurymon motioned to Digmon, who stepped between the two.<br>"I wouldn't do that" Digmon sneered. "Gold Rush!"  
>Dallas barely leapt out of the way as small drill-like darts zoomed toward him. They impacted the far wall so heavily, the section collapsed.<br>"That's a really powerful move" Jason commented.  
>"What Digmon lacks in precision, he makes up for in raw power" Patamon spat. "He used to be one of the elite Armor Digimon, but he seems to have had a change of heart."<br>"I have no quarrel with you two" Digmon informed Patamon and Lepumon. "But, If you don't stay out of our way, I will be forced to destroy you!"  
>As he spoke, Mercurymon was making his way over to the massive gate. He floated upward and held out the small token which contained the North Key. It warped into a red jewel, the same shape as the other keys had started in, and floated toward the top of the massive gate. It fused with the "N" symbol at the top, and a rumbling was heard.<br>"No!" called ClearAgumon, though he was still in shambles. "What have you done? You will doom us all!"  
>"Yeah, that's kinda the point" Mercurymon sneered. "And now, there is nothing you can do about it!"<br>The Gate roared as it split along each triangular section. The top triangle lifted upward, the bottom one lowered, and the left and right ones went their respective directions. In moments, the Aeolian Gate stood open for the first time in a century.  
>Mercurymon rushed forward with speed which wouldn't have been connected with his height. He was gone in an instant, Digmon right behind him, and the others were forced to follow into the tunnel.<br>As they passed, Dallas noticed a small, egg-shaped object which had fallen from the gate when it opened. He scooped it up, thinking it might be important, and hurried to catch up with the others.

Mercurymon stared up at the behemoth towering over him. SkullGreymon was trapped in a blue aura of chains, which seemed to have held him in suspended animation for the entire time he had spent within the chamber. He was standing tall, caught mid-roar as he howled at some flying creature which no longer existed.  
>"It is time for you to wake from your slumber" Mercurymon informed him. "By the authority granted to me by my master, leader of the Dark Legions, I call upon the great and supreme power of the Shadow Key!"<br>At the last part, Mercurymon lifted his hand and pointed skyward. Black energy shot from his fingers and formed into a giant black key.  
>"With this, the Grand-Kuro of the Metal Empire, I command you to be freed!" Mercurymon slashed the key through SkullGreymon's bonds, and the power which held him was vanquished.<br>With a sound similar to a power grid regaining its energy, SkullGreymon whirred to life, completing the roar which he had held back for decades.  
>"Who are you?" SkullGreymon asked, catching sight of Mercurymon.<br>"I am the one who freed you!" Mercurymon informed him. "I am Mercurymon, and I have set you free from your bonds!"  
>SkullGreymon snorted, clearly unimpressed. "I see. I thank you, but I must now return to the world above, so that I may finally reap the revenge which should be mine!"<br>Mercurymon grinned. "Oh, yes. I'm all for you wreaking havoc on the city, but, while you do, I'd like to ask a favor."  
>SkullGreymon crooked his head to the side. "What sort of favor?"<br>"In this city, there are two humans, along with the Digimon who accompany them. All I ask is that, while you reap your revenge, you make sure that those children are eliminated."  
>SkullGreymon bared his fangs in what was probably meant to be a smile. "Of course. It will be simple. Now, I must do what needs to be done!"<br>Mercurymon stepped out of the way, and SkullGreymon charged through the doorway. In his haste, he completely overlooked Dallas and his friends.  
>"Your giant dinosaur has some seeing problems" Dallas remarked.<br>Mercurymon growled. "He may be stupid, but he is efficient."  
>Jason lifted his Digivice to look up their new foe.<br>"Well, that's really him. SkullGreymon is classified as an Ultimate-level Digimon, but he boasts such power, he could almost be a Mega. He's super strong, and not as much of a mindless beast as he seems, with his power to think and reason. He's faster than he looks, stronger than a nuclear explosion, and, if you get hit by his Dark Shot attack, you just might end up a fossil yourself!"  
>Dallas looked to Mercurymon with hatred. "So, if you want us gone so badly, why haven't you done it any of the fifteen times you've run into us in this city?"<br>Mercurymon smiled. "I know that there is no way you could escape the city once I unleashed SkullGreymon, and your classic "Hero" gig would force you to try and stop me. So, by extension, you've sentenced yourself to your doom."  
>"And you just let it fall into place when you could have killed us while we were weak?"<br>Mercurymon was about to reply, when Tailless suddenly burst into the room.  
>"Hate to be a bother" Tailless panted. "But we need help out there!"<br>Dallas nodded. "We'll deal with this guy later. Right now, we have to find a way to stop SkullGreymon."  
>"It's impossible" Mercurymon informed them jeeringly.<br>"Oh, shut up" Jason told him. "I can't believe we were actually scared of you."  
>Mercurymon smirked. "You don't seem to understand. You're already doomed, so I have no further need to hunt you or trap you."<br>Lepumon shot Mercurymon a look of disgust. "C'mon, guys. Let's leave tin-head here to rust."  
>As they turned, Mercurymon laughed once more. "Amazing, Lepumon, what complete amnesia can do to someone's former partner."<br>Lepumon stiffened. "What are you talking about?"  
>Mercurymon didn't reply, he simply grinned. "You will know, in time."<br>Without a second thought, Lepumon lead the others from the room.

"I thought they would never leave" griped a voice from the corner. Mercurymon turned in shock to see a small winged Digimon sitting in the corner. It bore a striking resemblance to Patamon, but was a deep blue instead of orange.  
>"Tsukaimon" Mercurymon groaned "How did you get in here?"<br>Tsukaimon giggled. "The instant that gate opened, all teleportation to this area became possible again. I'm simply here to watch the city burn."  
>"And possibly help it on its way?" a voice inquired from within the dark portal which Tsukaimon had used to enter.<br>Mercurymon frowned. "Who else is with you?"  
>three forms emerged from the portal. They were a DemiDevimon, an Impmon, and a Goblimon.<br>"We got bored" Impmon explained. "So, now we want to cause a bit of carnage."  
>Mercurymon sighed. "Fine, go up if you must, but I wont be held responsible if you get yourselves deleted."<br>The Digimon nodded before leaving, and Mercurymon sighed.  
>"Those four act like toddlers sometimes" he said to himself. "But I suppose I can't really stop them at this point."<p>

"Why do we always have to act like toddlers around Mercurymon?" DemiDevimon asked. "Do you think he'll let us do things that he wouldn't let us do if we acted "mature"?"  
>"That's exactly what I think" Tsukaimon smirked. "And it works, too. Mercurymon gives us a bunch more leeway if we seem innocent."<br>Impmon sniffed. "I still don't get why you want to watch SkullGreymon destroy these kids."  
>Tsukaimon smiled at him. "I'm not here to watch SkullGreymon defeat them, I'm here to watch him fail."<br>With that, Tsukaimon flew into the air and quickly outdistanced the others.  
>"What is that supposed to mean?" Goblimon asked.<br>DemiDevimon shrugged. "I don't understand half of the things he does anymore."  
>Impmon sniffed. "Well, we have to follow him, don't we? After all, he's our only way out of here."<br>Goblimon grumbled. "Fine, but I still think he's lost it."  
>The three quickly followed Tsukaimon out into the open.<p>

It wasn't difficult to follow the trail of wreckage. SkullGreymon leveled buildings as easily as a toddler playing with stacking blocks. Anything he couldn't knock down, he blasted apart with his Dark Shot technique.  
>"How are we going to do this?" Jason complained. "SkullGreymon is an Ultimate Digimon! Our partners just Digivolved to Champion for the first time, so how can we even consider attacking?"<br>"If it were me, I'd just give up altogether." The partners spun around, searching for the source of the voice.  
>"Who are you?" Dallas asked.<br>A small blue creature flittered to the ground. It looked exactly like Patamon, save for its coloration.  
>"That's Tsukaimon" Patamon growled. "A Rookie Digimon and relative of the Patamon breed. He likes nothing more than to cause mischief, and his Bad Message attack can stun opponents."<br>"Why did you tell us to give up?" Jason asked.  
>Tsukaimon smirked. "Because you're so feeble! You think you're heroes, marching off to battle with your Champions against a Digimon who is whispered about in horror stories! In essence, you're doomed. No wonder Mercurymon isn't even worried about you."<br>Lepumon and Patamon grew angry, but Dallas simply turned away.  
>"C'mon guys" he said. "He's not worth it."<br>Tsukaimon's face became red with anger. "Bad Message!" he cried, taking in a deep breath. A blast of sound came out, but Dallas simply changed his course and the sound-waves hit the spot beside him.  
>"You'll regret saying that" Tsukaimon promised. "I am not a worthless peon! I will show you my power!"<br>"You can talk" Dallas grinned. "But can you back those threats up?"  
>Tsukaimon growled. "Not at the moment..."<br>"Come on" Dallas called again. "We have a Digimon to stop."

Tsukaimon watched the group leave. He grinned as soon as they were out of sight.  
>"You have no idea who you're dealing with" he cackled. Beware, DigiDestined. Beware the shadows."<br>"What's that supposed to mean?" a voice asked from behind. He turned to see Impmon standing behind him.  
>"You'll see soon enough" Impmon grinned. "Now, where is everyone else?"<br>"Right here" Goblimon and DemiDevimon reported. "Has the fight started yet?"  
>"Not yet" Tsukaimon replied. "But whichever way it happens, I get the feeling that this is going to be... explosive."<br>Suddenly, a blast of dark energy exploded from Tsukaimon, blinding his comrades. When they could see again, a much larger Digimon stood in the spot.  
>"Come on" the Digimon growled. "We don't want to miss this."<br>The three climbed aboard, and the Digimon spread its wings and launched itself into the air.

-X-

SkullGreymon was having fun breaking things.  
>"Dark Shot!" He called, launching an attack. A building nearby exploded, and ToyAgumon fled in panic.<br>"We've got to do something about this guy." Dallas decided. He lifted his Digivice toward Lepumon.  
>"Right" Jason nodded, pointing his digivice at Patamon.<p>

Digivolution sequence begin.

"Lepumon!"  
>"Patamon!"<br>"Digivolve to..."

Data flew through the air as the two creatures' bodies elongated and expanded. Ears became horns, paws became hands, teeth turned from herbivorous to carnivorous.

"PHASEDRAMON!"  
>"ANGEMON!"<p>

The two Champions flew at SkullGreymon with great speed. They went into a flurry, punching and kicking and blasting. But SkullGreymon barely seemed to notice.  
>Dallas pulled out a card and slid it through his D-Shifter. "Digimodify! Guardian Blade!"<br>A huge sword appeared for PhaseDramon to grasp. He swung the blade, hitting SkullGreymon in the head. The evil Digimon flinched, but held his ground. "Double Dark Shot!" he called. The missile on his back split in half and fired. One half hit Phasedramon, and the other hit Angemon. The sword Phasedramon held shattered.  
>"He's still too strong!" Phasedramon called to Dallas. "We're not gonna be able to beat this guy!"<br>Suddenly, Bricker was there, standing below Phasedramon.  
>"Bricker!" Dallas called. Get away from there!"<br>Bricker shook his head. "This ends here and now. I wont watch anyone else suffer."  
>A white light surrounded Bricker, lifting him into the air. All those present gasped at the sight.<br>"ToyAgumon, digivolve to..." metal plating surrounded Bricker, fitting over him, becoming ,more massive until...  
>"GUARDROMON!" Guardromon landed, walking forward quickly. "It ends now!"<br>Jason tried to follow the now-Champion Digimon, but Dallas held him back.  
>"He wants to help" Dallas grinned. "Let him."<br>As Guardromon closed the distance between himself and SkullGreymon, the object which Dallas had picked up in the ruins began to glow. He gasped as it lifted from his arms and floated over to Guardromon. The object linked to Guardromon's hand and began to glow. Guardromon lifted off from the ground, flying up toward SkullGreymon's face.  
>SkullGreymon finally managed to pull out of his stupor. "No matter what you do, I am still unbeatable!"<br>"Guardian Barrage!" Guardromon called. Missiles launched from his body, striking SkullGreymon.  
>"I'm with him!" Phasedramon decided. "Drago Beam!"<br>Angemon nodded, holding up his fist. "Hand of Fate!"  
>The combined attacks managed to drive SkullGreymon back several feet. He growled in annoyance. "Your measly attempts are useless! You cannot destroy me!"<br>Guardromon smirked. "Look where you're standing, idiot."  
>SkullGreymon looked down to see that he was partway over the borderline of the village. If possible, he went even paler. "Not possible..."<p>

Guardromon gave a heroic battle cry, thrusting out his fist. The golden sphere from the Aeolian Gate thrust forward, striking SkullGreymon with enormous force. Energy exploded, and SkullGreymon took one more step backwards.  
>It was enough. Power surged through the entire village. Every ToyAgumon who it touched seemed to melt, plastic becoming skin and scales. Within seconds, a horde of Agumon stood in the streets.<br>Guardromon's transformation was the greatest. Giant horns grew up, while rippling arms and claws extended to the sides. A tail snaked its way out, and the metal dissolved into orange skin striped blue.  
>"Greymon O!" he called.<br>Dallas whipped out his Digivice. "That's Greymon O, a subspecies of the Blue Greymon species. This Champion Digimon will blow you away with his Mega Flare. If you get too close, you'll be bashed to pieces by his Great Horn Attack!"  
>Jason, meanwhile, turned toward the restored villagers. "These are Agumon, the true forms of the ToyAgumon. These Rookie Digimon are usually peaceful, but if you make them mad, their Pepper Breath and Spitfire Blast techniques will leave you a little more than toasty."<br>SkullGreymon began to panic. "This is not possible! You were all cursed!"  
>"Until you left the city" Greymon agreed. "But now, I have a little bit of advice for you: Run. Stick your bony tail between your legs and run the way you ran from AncientGreymon."<br>SkullGreymon's eyes burned with anger. "You may speak your harsh words now, but I will return. In the meantime, I shall depart to meet with an old friend."  
>With that, he turned and stomped away, laughing.<p>

"Should we go after him?" Angemon asked.  
>Jason shook his head. "We're not strong enough to destroy him. Drive him away, yes, but it would be a fool's errand to try eliminating him."<br>Dallas stared at his friend. "Fool's errand? Eliminate? You're starting to sound like a book."  
>Jason scowled. "Either way, we still don't know why Mercurymon is so desperate to destroy us, or who he's working for. That's our main focus."<br>Dallas nodded. "And then there's Tsukaimon..."  
>Phasedramon looked at him in confusion. "That little Rookie who you said wasn't worth it?"<br>Dallas nodded. "He knew a lot more than he was letting on. I got the feeling that the entire meeting was a bluff. He set us up for that, and I don't think we've seen the last of him."  
>Jason shrugged. "Whatever the case, we need to keep moving."<br>His stomach rumbled.  
>"Right after lunch" Dallas finished.<p>

-X-

"It has been a very long time has it not?" SkullGreymon grinned.  
>The being in the shadows nodded. "Have you come to finally accept my invitation into the Dark Legions?"<br>SkullGreymon didn't answer for a moment. "Today, something unbelievable happened-I was driven out of the Agumon Village by a few Champions and some measly humans. It seems impossible, but they seemed to be an actual threat."  
>The master nodded. "I've heard of these "DigiDestined" from Mercurymon. One of their members is his old partner."<br>SkullGreymon's eyes flashed with alarm. "One of our own is a traitor?"  
>The master sighed. "A story for another time. You need not worry, for Mercurymon has been assigned to them specifically."<br>SkullGreymon growled. "I would gladly help tear them to shreds."  
>The master shook his head. "You will have much more important tasks. That is, if you accept a place in my legions."<br>SkullGreymon cocked his head to the side. "Rank?"  
>"Full General. You will be one of my highest officers."<br>SkullGreymon grinned. "I like this idea."

At that moment, a Gotsumon poked his head into the room. "Master, Archemon is getting rather anxious. He wants his reward."  
>The master sighed. "Lead mister Archemon down to the transfer room. He gets ten cores, no more. After that, I don't want to see him again unless he's being sent on another mission."<br>Gotsumon nodded. "Yes sir."

The master sat back on his throne, grinning. "The time is nearly at hand, my friend. Soon, we shall lead the battle to destroy all who oppose us!"  
>SkullGreymon seemed unimpressed. "And the children? They still worry me."<br>The master's grin grew even wider. "Don't worry. By the time the sun rises tomorrow, they will all be dead."

AN: I finally got around to finishing this chapter. I'm probably going to make this my priority for a while. Very shortly, Battle Arena is going to get very confusing without a backstory. And, hey look! This is the backstory! Why isn't there more of this?"  
>I started Battle Arena to ADVERTISE Encore, yet I've written more chapters there than here!"<p>

So here's the deal: I'm putting Battle Arena on hiatus until this story has some more chapters (and hopefully some more reviews too...)

Next Chapter: The Nightmare Road of Memories! Devimon, Appear!  
>The DigiDestined are taking a shortcut through Nightmare Woods, unaware that they are being followed. When an evil Digimon brings everyone's worst memories back to haunt them, the woods soon become a trap for both predator and prey. Can the DigiDestined, with the help of an unlikely ally, defeat the darkness? And why is the orb Dallas took from Agumon Village speaking to him?<p>

Even Fire and Ice have a Dark side... 


	4. The Nightmare Road of Memories!

Welcome to another Chapter of Digimon Encore! So glad that there's somebody who actually cares enough to read my ORIGINAL story over a sequel which I started before this story was finished. (Yeah... Bad planning on my part right there...) In my defense, Battle Arena was written to promote Encore, so here's hoping it works.

Ch.4 The Nightmare Road of Memories! Devimon, Appear!

Dallas lay on his bed, whimpering. He was eleven years old, and he was scared again. Of course, he was always scared when dad came home.  
>Dallas's parents had once been a happily married couple. But, over the last year, they had become increasingly angry and violent toward each-other.<br>"None of this is my fault!" his mother yelled from the kitchen. "If you hadn't been wasting away our money on other things, we would be able to pay these bills!"  
>"It certainly isn't MY fault!" his father snapped back. "I just wanted to get the kids something nice for Christmas..."<br>"Thanks to you, we might be spending Christmas in a homeless shelter, Walter!" Dallas's mother was livid. "How on earth are we going to pay the mortgage? The bills? Will we even be able to keep our kids in school? Or fed?"  
>Walter Finch sighed. "I could work extra hours at the bank, or I could get money from my father..."<br>"Dad is in the hospital with cancer, and you're just going to ask him for money?" There was a loud crash, and Dallas knew that one of his mother's priceless porcelain figures now lay in a heap of shards.  
>"Stop it!" Walter bellowed. "Maybe that was a bad suggestion, but you need to control yourself!"<br>"CONTROL MYSELF?" there was another crash. "We could lose everything! The house, the kids. We might be dead in a month!"  
>"Other people go through this, Dianne" Walter retorted. "They don't get kicked out onto the streets."<br>"BUT WE MIGHT!" there was a crash, louder than any before. The impact was o hard, Dallas saw part of the face of one of the porcelain angels skitter under his door.

Hannah came in, trying to comfort him. "Don't pay any attention to it, Dallas. Mom and dad will be okay..."  
>With that, she sat with him on the bed. All they could do was listen to the sounds of his father crying "I'll find a way to get the money!" and his mother destroying her priceless figurines. With nothing else he could do, he lay in Hannah's lap and cried himself to sleep.<p>

-X-

Dallas woke with a scream in his throat. For a second, no air came, and when it did, it was barely a croak.  
>It was enough to wake the others. Lepumon shot up like an arrow. "Dallas, what's wrong?"<br>Dallas lay on the straw mat the Agumon had given him, shivering. "It was so real... so horrible..."  
>Lepumon helped him to sit up. "It's all right. It's over now."<br>Dallas shook his head. It wasn't over. It would never be over.  
>Jason groaned as he stretched. "As long as we're awake, we might as well get going. This forest is creeping me out. Guess the name was pretty accurate when they called it Nightmare Woods."<br>The others stood, packed up camp, and followed.  
>"I told you we shouldn't have taken this route" Patamon scolded his Tamer. "Even though it's the most direct way to Clock City, there are nasty Digimon and maze-like paths which will get us all confused."<br>Jason shrugged. "Well, if worst comes to worst, we can always fly out."  
>"True" Lepumon spoke up. "But it could still take hours to get out of the forest."<p>

Through this conversation, Dallas was silent. It had been the night of his parents' biggest fight, right before his dad resorted to the lowest he could reach for money...  
>"Dallas?" Lepumon asked. "You're awfully quiet." Dallas was jostled from his thoughts. "What?"<br>"You've barely said a word since you woke up" Jason commented. "Is something wrong?"  
>Dallas considered the question. Something wrong? No, not really. It had been a memory, nothing more, hadn't it?<br>"I'm fine" he finally managed. "Just a little tired."  
>"If you don't want to go on, we can stop for a while. We aren't really on a schedule, anyway."<br>Dallas nodded. "that's probably all I need, a bit more sleep."

-X-

"They've stopped" Goblimon commented. "Pathetic, they can't even keep going for twenty minutes. This should be easy."  
>Tsukaimon stood down below Goblimon at the base of the tree. "Remember, we're not to make ourselves known until sunrise. Then, we attack."<br>Impmon snorted. "With what?" They have two Digimon who can become champions, and the only one here who can do it is you."  
>Tsukaimon frowned. "True, but that wont be a problem once our associate arrives."<br>"Will you two keep it down?" Devimon called from below. "I'm trying to get some sleep!"  
>The others turned to him. "Of course, master DemiDevimon" Impmon replied, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "It would be a shame if we interrupted your royal slumber."<br>DemiDevimon grunted. "Not like anything else is going to happen for a while."  
>The others nodded. Eventually, Goblimon decided to keep watch, while his comrades slept. The other three lay down, trying to conserve their energy for the fight to come.<p>

-X-

It was so very lonely in the abyss, and DemiDevimon began to shiver. He couldn't tell which way was up, or how long he'd been here.  
>"What's going on?" he called out loud.<br>"Nothing" a voice replied. "Absolutely nothing. You have been sent here as punishment, though I do not know why."  
>"Then why are you here?" DemiDevimon called.<br>"I am here because i could not do what was needed" the voice replied. "I was a pathetic weakling, and my master hated me. He threw me in here because I was worthless."  
>That voice. DemiDevimon recognized that voice.<br>"It can't be" he shivered. "It's not possible."  
>A small orb-like being with bat wings and birdlike claws appeared before him. "But it IS possible. I am you, you are me. We are here because we are worthless to the world."<br>"Not true."  
>"Who was the one to suggest you hang back as a legion of the master's best soldiers was decimated? Who complained the whole time you were traveling in the forest? Who sat back to relax as Tsukaimon and the others formed strategies?<br>"You are the weak link in the chain, and soon, you will be cut loose."  
>DemiDevimon gave a cry of anger, slashing the shadow across the face. Blinding pain erupted as identical marks appeared on his own skin.<br>"You see?" the reflection taunted. "You cannot harm me, unless you wish to harm yourself. We are one, and we both know that you are nothing!"  
>Nothing. The word seeped into DemiDevimon's veins like ice. His wings seized up, and he was falling. Falling down into the infernal torment of his own weakness.<br>Nothing.  
>Useless.<br>Weakling.  
>And then he woke.<p>

-X-

It was several weeks later now. The day of Dallas's twelfth birthday. He sat at the table, a small white cake on the plate before him. Around him, his family sang the Happy Birthday song. He felt like the luckiest person in the world.  
>He had no idea that today would be the worst day of his life.<br>"No" he suddenly cried out. "Not this."  
>But his family didn't seem to hear him. He felt his mouth move as he thanked them for the song. He blew out the candles, sitting expectantly. Next always came the birthday presents.<br>His parents sat around the table as he waited in expectation, but nothing came.  
>Finally, his father spoke up.<br>"Dallas" he began slowly. "You know we have been having trouble with money, right?"  
>Dallas nodded, fearing the worst.<br>"So, we weren't able to buy you a present" his father finished. "I'm sorry."  
>Dallas's happy expression left for just a moment, then he forced it back on, trying to seem optimistic.<br>"That's all right, dad" he replied. "You need the money, I understand."  
>But inside, Dallas was upset. They could have at least made him a card or something!<br>Then, he knew what was about to happen as the scene around him changed. He was in his bedroom, his father looking down at him. He seemed extremely worried, and was glancing around, as though he expected some hidden foe to fire a shot at him.  
>"Dallas" he said very seriously. "Tonight, some men are going to come to the house. I need you to hide something for me."<br>"Why?" Dallas asked. "Are they trying to steal something?"  
>Walter tried to smile down at his son, but failed. "I got involved in something I shouldn't have, and now they're angry. I took this, and they want it back, but I can't let them have it."<br>"What is it?" Dallas asked.  
>"Money" his father replied. "A lot of money, enough to pay the bills for a while, but it wont last. You'll need to raise some more, maybe get a job. It's going to be hard enough on your mother."<br>"You sound like you're not going to be here."  
>Walter managed a sad half-smile. "Oh, Dallas. You're still so young, and I hate to do this to you, but if the men don't get that money, they're going to take me away."<br>Dallas's eyes flashed with fear. "Then you need to give it to them!"  
>Walter shook his head. "I can't explain it all now, but you can't let them have it. If they get it, they might do things. Bad things. Keep it with you, but never show it to anyone but your mother."<br>Dallas shook his head, tears coming to his eyes. "I can't do this."  
>Walter kissed the top of Dallas's head. "You have to be strong, Dallas. You are so much more important than you realize."<br>The part of Dallas who already knew what would happen tried to fight, he tried to scream, to tell his father what would happen. But he couldn't move, and his words fell on deaf ears. This was only a shadow of what had once happened, and he couldn't change it.  
>So he was forced to watch as his father walked away. He would never see him again.<p>

-X-

This time, when Dallas screamed, nobody was there to hear it. Only the echoes of the night greeted him.  
>Looking around, he saw that he was no longer in the clearing with Jason and the others. He sat within a massive, hollow tree. There was no sound or movement, only the rustling of the wind beyond the tree trunk.<br>"Such great sorrow, to have the person you looked up to and adored ripped away. It's too bad you woke when you did. I was anticipating what happens next."  
>Dallas turned around to see a giant, hulking creature standing behind him. It resembled a grizzly bear, but it had long brown ears, and wore a rabbit-style hat with three horns.<br>Dallas consulted his digivice, which he luckily still had with him.  
>"you're Wendigomon, a Virus-type Champion Digimon. You're the product of dark mutation, and you are able to bend time and space, enough to give people horrible nightmares" Dallas looked up. "You did that to me, didn't you?"<br>Wendigomon sneered. "There is a reason this place is called Nightmare Woods. I have lived here for generations, bringing out the darkest memories of travelers and forcing them to relive them!"  
>Dallas began to scoot away. "That's wrong! You can't do that type of thing to people!"<br>Wendigomon sneered. "You really don't know anything, do you? I was given this forest thousands of years ago to do what I please! You cannot stop me!"  
>Dallas gritted his teeth. "It's hard to use someone's nightmares against them when they aren't asleep."<br>Wendigomon raised his fist. "We shall see."  
>He thrust his fist into the ground and sent a ripple through the whole forest.<br>"Let the nightmares be extended to all, whether awake or asleep!" he gave a rattling laugh. "Let's see how you fare with that. Goodnight, Dallas."  
>And the world fell away once more.<p>

-X-

Dallas sat in the corner of his bedroom, whimpering. He knew that this was a dream, brought about by Wendigomon's dark power, but he could do nothing to stop it.  
>"Finch!" a voice bellowed from outside. "You can't hide in there forever! Come out and give us what we want!"<br>Dallas unconsciously moved the envelope a little deeper into his pants pocket. He could do it. He could give them the money and they would leave, right?  
>But he remembered what his father had said. If the men got the money, they would do something horrible. Something so bad, his father refused to speak about it.<br>"You swore, Finch" the voice continued. "You said you would see the project through to the end. This could be the answer to everything we've strived for!"  
>Dallas gasped as his father walked over to the window. "I don't care who you think you are, Miyako. You will not threaten me in my own home! I told you, I wont be responsible when the Millennium Project fails, so you can't have the money!"<br>The voice outside was angry now. "Finch, this is our only choice! Give us the money now, or we take it by force!"  
>Walter spat. "I'll die before I watch you raise that monster."<br>Dallas heard the click of a gun being loaded. "So be it."  
>There was a loud crack, and Dallas screamed. He ran into the living room to see his father lying on his side, clenching his stomach. He looked up at Dallas, pulling him close.<br>"They must never have it" he whispered fiercely. "Use the money, buy food, and whatever else you need. Just don't give it to them."  
>Dallas shook his head. "You can't do this."<br>Walter sank down so that he was lying on his back. "I will be... so proud of you..."  
>With that, the men burst through the door.<br>Instantly, Dianne, Dallas's mother, burst into the room. "How dare you walk into our home and hurt my husband!"  
>The lead man leveled an old-fashioned revolver at her. "Zip it. Your husband will be fine, if we get what we came for."<br>Dianne shook her head. "I have no idea what you're talking about."  
>The man sighed. "Don't play coy with me. Your husband brought home three million dollars in a little white envelope this afternoon. The first person he would have told is you."<br>Dianne shook her head. "What nonsense! Walter never would have done anything of the sort!"  
>The man sighed. "I see you need a bit of persuasion. Very well" he turned to another member of the group. "Burn the house down."<p>

-X-

Dallas could hear Wendigomon's laughter as he was forced to watch the only home he'd ever known curl up into flame. He saw his mother, screaming at the men to stop. He watched as his father was dragged away, bruised and bloodied. He felt the pain as one man struck him to the ground.  
>"Such a dark memory" Wendigomon observed. "You keep these black secrets buried in the deepest part of your heart. It is almost painful to bring them back. How delicious."<br>Dallas turned to his captor. "Stop this right now, and I'll give you whatever you want. Just don't make me relive this."  
>Wendigomon sneered. "But that is, of course, my duty. I am the Nightmare Bringer. My purpose is to torture."<br>Dallas glared. Without a single though, he leapt forward and slammed his fist into Wendigomon's jaw. The monstrous beast fell, stunned. Quickly, Dallas turned and fled.  
>"You wont escape" Wendigomon warned from the ground. "My nightmares have spread across the forest. Your own living torture resides here."<br>"Shut up" Dallas growled as he ran.

He had only gone a short distance when he tripped over the form of DemiDevimon. The fall caused him to tumble out of control, slamming into the earth.  
>"Sorry" DemiDevimon said hollowly."<br>Dallas turned to the Devil Digimon. "Look, you need to get out of here. Wendigomon is going to show up any second!"  
>"Doesn't matter" DemiDevimon frowned. "I am worthless. Tsukaimon and the others laugh at my mistakes, and I can't even digivolve!"<br>"I'm sorry" Dallas said quickly "But we need to... hang on. Did you say Tsukaimon?"  
>DemiDevimon sniffed. "What's it to you?"<br>Dallas shook his head. "Maybe nothing, but you could also be quite valuable. Come on."  
>With that, he picked up DemiDevimon and darted into the forest.<p>

-X-

"Dallas!" Jason called. "Where are you?"  
>"I don't like this" Lepumon shuddered. "There's something wrong about this place."<br>"You got that right."  
>The group turned in shock to see the last person they wanted to.<br>"Hello, Lepumon" Mercurymon grinned.  
>Lepumon took a step away. "Stay back."<br>"Why?" Mercurymon tilted his head to the side. "Aren't you happy to see your old partner?"  
>Lepumon growled. "That's a lie! I never would have been a partner to you!"<br>"But you were" Mercurymon sneered. "Don't you remember when we torched that village of Digimon to the ground? How we laughed at their pathetic whimpering as we absorbed their data?"  
>Lepumon covered his ears. "No more! I won't listen to your lies!"<br>"But you know they are true" Mercurymon continued. "You were on e of us-and quite good at it too. We were the master's favorite assassins."  
>Lepumon opened his eyes. "Bunny Bubble!" he blasted Mercurymon with blue spheres, causing him to dissolve.<br>"You can't defeat me that easily" Mercurymon reported from behind him. "I am only an illusion, with the purpose of crushing your spirit!"  
>Lepumon fell to the ground, tears forming in his eyes. "I wont listen. I can't..."<p>

Far away, Wendigomon laughed. "It's too late, Lepumon. You already have."

-X-

"You're doing fine" the lifeless orb told him.  
>"Thanks" Dallas grunted. "Now, not only am I stuck in a nightmare, but I'm going crazy too."<br>"You are perfectly sane. I am speaking to you" the orb replied.  
>Dallas shook his head. "No, you're a lump of metal. Metal can't talk."<br>The sphere sighed. "My dear boy, have you learned nothing? I am within the magnus. I am a Spirit."  
>Dallas snorted. "Sure you are."<br>DemiDevimon spoke up from Dallas's shoulder. "Hey, kid. I may be forced to travel with you, but you could at least stop talking to whatever thing you've got in that pack."  
>Dallas gave him an amused look. "You can hear it too?"<br>"Of course" DemiDevimon nodded. "So can you tell your little partner to keep it down?"  
>Dallas sighed. At least DemiDevimon had stopped complaining about how worthless he was. Now, he was just complaining in general.<br>"You're nearly back with your friends" the "magnus" continued. "Though I must warn you, the reunion will not be a happy one."  
>"Why do you say that?"<br>"Because Wendigomon has turned his attention to your companions."  
>Dallas nodded. "Then they'll need my help to beat him."<br>"They will fail" the magnus warned.  
>Dallas grunted. "Thanks for the vote of confidence."<br>"It is the truth" the golden orb explained. "You will need to draw upon the strength of your enemies in order to defeat him."  
>"That's cryptic" Dallas sighed.<br>DemiDevimon shifted nervously. "I'm sure you'll understand in time."  
>Dallas laughed. "The only enemy I know of in this forest is Wendigomon. Nobody else is after me."<br>DemiDevimon nodded, a bit of sweat clouding his brow. "Yeah, probably."  
>Dallas was oblivious to his companion's discomfort, walking along even faster.<br>After a minute, he caught sight of a flying orange form in the air.  
>"Patamon!" he thought. He began to run even faster.<br>But something was wrong. Patamon and Jason were turned away, watching something.  
>"What are they looking at?" Dallas asked.<br>That was when he heard the screaming.

-X-

Lepumon lay on the ground face-down. He was sweating in agony as Mercurymon continued to jeer at him.  
>"Trust me, if you remembered how it was, you would be begging to rejoin the Dark Legions! Of course, it wouldn't make a difference either way. You'll never escape this place. Neither will you be able to run from your past."<br>"We'll see about that" a voice spoke behind the illusion. It turned around as Dallas's fist traveled through its intangible face.  
>"Dallas?" Lepumon asked.<br>"Lepumon, you can't listen to this thing" Dallas insisted. "It's not even real. Everything it says is just empty words. Whatever happened in your past, I don't care about it. I wouldn't care if you were the most evil Digimon in the world, you're still my partner, and I'll stand by you."  
>Lepumon nodded, his courage returning.<br>"No" the illusion whispered, before it vanished into mist.  
>"C'mon guys" Dallas encouraged, pulling out his digivice. "I've got more than one rabbit to find tonight."<p>

BEGIN DIGIVOLUTION SEQUENCE

"Lepumon, digivolve to..." Lepumon's data became visible, stretching and bulking up, while new scale-covered skin replaced it.  
>"PHASEDRAMON!" Dallas's partner declared.<br>Jason digivolved Patamon to Angemon, and the two Champions took off into the air.  
>"Gonna introduce your friend?" Jason asked, nodding to DemiDevimon.<br>Dallas nodded. "This is DemiDevimon, a Rookie Digimon. He's not the most powerful person around, but his Demi Dart isn't exactly fun to be hit with!"  
>Jason nodded. "So he's going to help us?"<br>Dallas shrugged. "I just couldn't watch him get destroyed by Wendigomon."  
>"Wendi-who?"<br>Dallas pointed toward a black cloud. "He's an evil rabbit who I'm guessing we'll find in there."  
>Jason nodded. "Then let's get moving"<p>

Drago Beam!" Phasedramon called. Twin lasers lanced down and struck what appeared to be a giant wooden door. The oak barrier exploded, revealing what appeared to be a throne room within a giant hollow tree. The cloudy gloom was pouring from the tree's body as though it was on fire.  
>In the center of this flaming mayhem was Wendigomon, smiling as though he'd just won the lottery.<br>"Well" he grinned. "It seems that you've arrived."  
>Dallas growled. "We don't have time for this, Wendigomon. Let us go!"<br>Wendigomon frowned. "I've explained to you already, I cannot stop the illusion. You must remain here until either I am destroyed, or the nightmare is completed."  
>Phasedramon growled. "Then let's take the first option. Untouchable Strike!"<br>As Phasedramon quickly advanced, Wendigomon simply sat there. As the dragon Digimon arrived, his opponent simply leaned back and Phasedramon missed completely.  
>"You must be able to do better" Wendigomon commented, almost sounding disbelieving. "Koko Crusher!"<br>A blast of energy caught Phasedramon in the chest, blowing him backwards with enormous force. Phasedramon hit the ground, immediately reverting into Lepumon.  
>"Weak" Wendigomon sneered, kicking his foe aside. "And how about you, wings?"<br>Angemon growled. "Hand of Fate!"A beam of energy lanced out, but Wendigomon caught it. With another blast of energy, he sent Angemon sprawling.  
>"Even one of the great Holy Digimon cannot defeat me! I am invincible!"<br>Dallas gritted his teeth. He saw Lepumon sprawled on the ground. He saw Patamon struggling to stand. Their forces had been defeated so suddenly that it seemed impossible. They were weak. Defenseless.  
>Wendigomon turned to Dallas. "Now do you see? You cannot hope to win. I am invincible!"<br>DemiDevimon growled. "I can't let you do this!"  
>Wendigomon smirked. "What are you going to do about it? You are a pathetic little weakling who couldn't put out a fire if he was holding a bucket of water over it! You are useless! You can do nothing!"<br>DemiDevimon hissed. "Shut up! SHUT UP! I will not listen to your lies any longer! I can be strong!"  
>"Then prove it" Wendigomon hissed acidly.<br>With a scream, DemiDevimon exploded with crimson light. Jason and Dallas were blinded as a giant winged creature rose up.  
>"DEVIMON!" the beast cried. It looked down at Wendigomon. "Now you will pay! Touch of Evil!"<br>As Devimon attacked Wendigomon, the orb in Dallas's backpack began to glow. He quickly pulled it out.  
>"What's going on?" He cried.<br>"You are so close" it replied. "But you must let go. You are being held back by the guilt you feel. Until it is released, you cannot help. And you MUST help, or everyone will die."  
>Dallas looked over to see Devimon still fighting fiercely. Despite the awesome power that could be seen, Devimon was starting to falter.<br>"It was never your fault" the orb continued. "You must accept that. Your father gave himself up of his own accord. You did the right thing to hide his secret."  
>Dallas shook his head. "If I had given them the money, he wouldn't have been taken away."<br>"That is what is holding you back" the orb told him. "You believe that it was all your fault, but this is not true. If those men had accomplished their goal, you wouldn't even be here.  
>"Your father made a noble sacrifice, and he entrusted you to do what was right. And you did."<br>"Out of fear" Dallas added.  
>"No, out of love" the orb corrected. "You are an extraordinary child. He will be so proud of you."<br>Dallas stifled a gasp. Those were almost the exact words his father had used so long ago. With that, all remaining doubt dissolved.  
>The magnus shattered, and a glowing statue floated in its place, the black upper armor of a red-masked warrior surrounded by a green vortex.<br>Dallas knew, somehow, what he had to do. He lifted his digivice and turned the dial on the back. The device began to glow. It elongated, changing until it was a new device.  
>"A D-Tector" Jason commented. "Patamon described it when we were talking about types of digivices."<br>Dallas raised the D-Tector to the glowing statue. "Spirit" he whispered. "Come to me."  
>The statuette instantly shrank down and entered a port at the top of the D-Tector. An unknown symbol appeared on the screen, and Dallas knew he was ready.<br>A band of white Fractal code surrounded his left hand. He brought the two hands together. "Execute! Spirit Evolution!"

BEGIN SPIRIT EVOLUTION SEQUENCE

Dallas floated into the air in a ball of data. Around him, two-dimensional armor appeared around him. As the data streamed, the armor wrapped around him and fused together. The images became real, locking together.  
>"DJINNMON!" the new form called. He wore jet-black armor on his chest and shoulders, coming up in spikes on the shoulders. He wore a crimson mask which surrounded his whole head, with viewholes to show his xanthic eyes, and three long slits for breathing. His lower armor was a deep green, and he wore a sword strapped to his hip.<br>"What?" Wendigomon cried. "That's impossible! You are one of the Lost Warriors!"

"What is he?" Patamon asked. Jason quickly pulled out his digivice.  
>"He's Djinnmon, one of the so-called Lost Warriors, as they were members of the Legendary Warriors. Djinnmon wields the enchanted sword Desiderium in battle. His Exalted Wish technique can summon any of the ten elements for him to use!"<p>

Djinnmon jumped into the air. His green lower armor instantly morphed into a sort of funnel, like one would see on a genie. He floated over to Devimon. "Are you in need of assistance?"  
>Devimon grunted. "I can take him."<br>Djinnmon shrugged. "No reason not to help. Exalted Wish!" he swept Desiderium forward, creating an arc of light. "Wood!"  
>The arc turned a light green and pulsed out, striking the walls. Instantly, the walls of the tree warped, shooting out roots to snare Wendigomon, immobilizing him.<br>"Let's finish this together" Djinnmon said to Devimon. "Light and Dark?"  
>Devimon nodded, reaching out his arm. "Touch of Evil!"<br>"Exalted Wish! Light!" Djinnmon swiped another arc, which swept together with Devimon's attack and struck Wendigomon, blowing straight through his data.  
>Wendigomon grunted. "Is that it then? You kill me for doing my duty? Such shame." He looked directly at Djinnmon. "Remember, Dallas Finch, remember what I've shown you."<br>With that, he became a silhouette, his Fractal code revealed.  
>Djinnmon quickly swiped his D-Tector through the stream. "Fractal code, Digitize!" The band of light vanished, and Wendigomon reverted into a Digi-Egg, which floated away.<p>

-X-

"You're sure you wont stay with us?" Dallas asked.  
>DemiDevimon nodded. "You wouldn't understand. I never should have come here."<br>Dallas nodded. "I understand. Go on and find your friends."  
>With that, the group set off down the left path.<p>

Minutes later, Tsukaimon and the others arrived. "DemiDevimon, thank goodness we found you!"  
>DemiDevimon grinned. "You missed the whole show, Tsukaimon. I was able to digivolve, and destroyed the forest's guardian."<br>Tsukaimon snorted. "That's a load of Bullmon. There's no way you were able to digivolve!"  
>DemiDevimon shook his head. He didn't care that Tsukaimon didn't believe his story. It sounded crazy to him too.<br>"Well, did you find the kids during your "slaying of the guardian?" Tsukaimon asked, smirking.  
>DemiDevimon bit his lip. Before he could even think, he was already replying. "Yes."<br>"Which way did they go, then?" Goblimon asked.  
>DemiDevimon thought about it. Dallas had helped him so selflessly. True, he hadn't known he was an enemy, but it had still been compassion.<br>He made a decision.  
>"They went right" DemiDevimon answered. "Never even saw me behind them."<br>"Excellent" Tsukaimon grinned. "That means they're not going to Clock City. How interesting."  
>DemiDevimon sighed. "When Tsukaimon found out he'd been hoodwinked, there would be vengeance.<p>

-X-

"So this Spirit thingy lets Dallas become a Digimon?" Jason asked. "No fair! I can't do that!"  
>Patamon patted his charge's back. "Don't worry, Jason. Maybe you'll find one later!"<br>Jason perked up. "Yeah, maybe I will!"  
>Lepumon, meanwhile, was wondering. "So, if you have a Human Spirit, there's bound to be a Beast Spirit out there for you too."<br>Dallas grinned. "I'll look forward to that."

#

AN: So, the plot thickens, and we get a bit of backstory for one of our heroes. Don't worry, Dallas's past will pop up again before we're done.  
>Thanks to everyone for reading. Please review, as I am slightly addicted to reviews.<p>

Next Chapter: Arrival in Clock City. Ogremon's Wild Run!"

Dallas and company arrive in Clock City, going off for a bit of R&R as they wait to meet the mayor.  
>Meanwhile, a very angry Tsukaimon shows up with Impmon and Goblimon. He meets with Mercurymon, where his partner is given an unusual gift...<p>

Even Fire and Ice have a Dark side... 


	5. Arrival in Clock City Ogremon's Run!

Sorry to all that this is so late. I lost the link cable for my NEO and couldn't upload. Better late than never, right?

Welcome to another episode of Digimon Encore! I am pleased to know that some of my readers from Battle Arena have transferred over. For your sake, let me explain quickly:  
>I have decided to postpone further chapters of Battle Arena, because each one is like a spoiler sledge-hammer. Every strike comes closer to bringing my storyline of Encore closer to crumbling. I.E.: I don't want to post any more until this story is done.<br>A bit more general info: I am not a good artist, so I'm looking for some readers with decent drawing skills and a deviantART account. If you think you're good, I'd appreciate it if you'd give it a try to draw some of the OC Digimon of this story (In color, if that's alright). I've got several images and descriptions online, so you shouldn't have much trouble. The username is the same as this account. My biggest two needs are Lepumon and Phasedramon, so remember that if you would.

Now, on to the story.

#  
>Chapter Five: Arrival in Clock City. Ogremon's Wild Run!"<p>

#  
>"We made it!" Jason sighed. "I was starting to think that we would be stuck on that dreadful road forever!"<br>Dallas grinned. "At least it only took us a day. Now we'll get to see the famous Clock Tower!"  
>"Can't we take a break first?" Lepumon wheezed. "I'm getting blisters in places you shouldn't be able to get blisters!"<br>Patamon snickered. "That's because you fell ontop of that Babydmon and nearly got yourself roasted!"  
>Lepumon narrowed his eyes at Patamon, but kept walking. Soon, the sounds of music and laughter filled the air. Clock City was an amazing place. The houses were all different shapes and sizes, but seemed to fit together perfectly. When viewed from above, the buildings strongly resembled the inner workings of a clock.<br>Then, there was the Clock Tower. It was a massive metal structure which sprung up right in the center of the city. At the top, it featured four enormous clock faces, turned to the compass points. Above the clock, there was a giant bell, which Dallas assumed would chime on the hour.  
>"Well, we've come this far." Dallas nodded. "So, let's at least get within the walls, then we can take a break."<br>The rest of the group cheered. Finally, they'd found a place where they could have a decent rest. It almost seemed like a vacation. Then again, what better place to have one?

#  
>Unfortunately for the heroes, a few more familliar faces have stopped by Clock City. Three of them are Tsukaimon, Goblimon, and Impmon. The last is Mercurymon.<br>"Why did you want us to come here?" Tsukaimon asked.  
>"You were misinformed" Mercurymon replied. "The humans are here in Clock City, and I have a plan for them."<br>Tsukaimon sighed. "We already knew the trail was false. DemiDevimon lied to us, so we sent him for some... personal time with my father."  
>Mercurymon shuddered. Tsukaimon's father had a very interesting definition of "personal time."<br>"Well then" he continued. "I am here to assign you the mission of driving those fools out of the city."  
>Tsukaimon snorted. "You just want us to drive them out? We could just defeat them here."<br>Mercurymon shook his head. "Those boys are not to be underestimated. They have three Champion forms now, and your team has only one."  
>Tsukaimon paused. "Three Champions? I though they only had two Digimon?"<br>Mercurymon grinned. "An old memory has come to haunt me. One of my-ah-lost brothers has returned. Djinnmon, the Lost Warrior of Magic."  
>Impmon frowned. "I though there were only ten Legendary Warriors, and each posesses one of our ten elements-Fire, Light, Ice, Air, Thunder, Earth, Wood, Water, Metal, and Dark. You're saying there's another one? A so-called Warrior of Magic?"<br>Mercurymon nodded. "It's a bit of a confusing story, and I cannot recall it completely with my host's limited memories, but this is what I know: When the ten Legendary Warriors rose up to defeat Lucemon, they had help. Each of the warriors had an assistant, who aided them in their attempt. Unfortunately, Lucemon was too powerful for them, and the sidekicks were nearly defeated. As they lay on the brink of death, their comrades bravely sacrificed some of their energy to preserve their fallen comrades in the form of Spirits. This transfer of power left the warriors extremely weak once Lucemon was defeated. They were welcomed as heroes, and nobody knew the truth-they were dying. Eventually, they were forced to scatter their own essence as spirit stones. That, however, is a story for another time.  
>"The fallen comrades became known as the Lost Warriors. To this day, nobody knows the fate of AncientGaiomon, AncientAstamon, AncientKabuterimon, AncientVikemon, AncientPhoenixmon, AncientRosemon, AncientSeraphimon, AncientOphanimon, AncientCherubimon, or AncientSorcermon. Some theories state that these heroes had their Spirits collected and crushed long ago. Some claim that they joined into Digi-Eggs, awaiting their time to hatch until the world needed them most. Still, others say that they were reincarnated into regular Digimon, ignorant of their heritage. From what we have seen, I'd say that at least one of them survived. Or, at least, a shard of him."<p>

The Rookie Digimon were silent. How had they never heard of these other heroes?  
>"Just one more question" Goblimon spoke up. "The Legendary Warriors could merge together to form Susanoomon, who was extremely powerful. For the sake of possibility, if the ten Lost Warriors were to unite, could they merge as well?"<br>Mercurymon grinned. "An excellent question. The Digimon bearing the spirits would be unable to fuse, because they are mortal, and could only fuse once the Spirits were released. However, I recall that they had some kind of combined form. They could join into an even greater being to maximize their power, but it still wasn't enough to beat Lucemon.  
>"To answer your other question, I do not believe this form could assemble on its own. Each of the Digimon would need to be Loaded at least once in order to release the Spirits. There's almost zero chance you could find them all, unless you knew where to look."<p>

Unnoticed by Mercurymon, Tsukaimon was listening intently, absorbing this information like a sponge. It was impossible to guess what was running through his mind, but he looked as though he was trying to memorize the story being unfolded.  
>"But I digress" Mercurymon relapsed "You have your mission: drive the humans out of the city. Don't even give them a moment to relax. The longer they are in the city, the bigger threat hey are once they leave. The plan is to wear them down until they cannot defend themselves from our forces!"<br>Tsukaimon yawned. "Wow. That is quite possibly the most boring mission you've ever assigned us. And that includes babysitting Belphemon in his Sleep Mode for three days."  
>Mercurymon grinned. "Perhapse this will motivate you." He turned toward Goblimon. "You, come forward."<br>Goblimon took a step toward the Hybrid. "Yes, Mercurymon?"  
>Mercurymon held out his shield. "The master instructed me to give this gift to one of you. I think you will find it the most useful."<br>Goblimon's eyes went wide as a bolt of pure data leapt rom the shield and struck him in the chest. His eyes rolled back, and he collapsed.  
>Tsukaimon glared between his fallen comrade and Mercurymon. "Please tell me you didn't kill off my teammate. That'll be the second one in as many hours, and it's so tedious to replace them."<br>Mercurymon shook his head. "I have imparted on your ally a very large quantity of data. Any second, you will see the results."  
>Goblimon began to glow silver, before tripling in size. Light danced around as his body transformed.<br>"Oh" Tsukaimon commented. "That IS interesting..."

-X-

Dallas knew exactly how to find Lepumon, who had been lost in the crowd. All he had to do was follow the screaming.  
>A full-blown fight had unfolded between Lepumon and a Flamedramon-a firey Armor level Digimon almost three times Lepumon's size.<br>"You think you're so tough?" Lepumon sneered. "I drove SkullGreymon out of the Agumon Village and restored its people almost single-handedly. I could take you on any time, any place!"  
>Dallas quickly leapt out and tackled his partner to the side, preventing him from meeting a very smoky fate.<br>"You idiot" Dallas hissed. "That's supposed to be a secret!" he turned to the Flamedramon. "Sorry about my friend. He's sick, spouting tons of nonsense. Don't pay any attention."  
>Flamedramon growled. "This whelp has insulted my honor! He will stand and feel the wrath of me, Flamedramon! I am the Armor equivalent of a Champion, and my Fire Rocket attack will beat any Rookie into oblivion!"<br>Dallas nodded. "i'm sure it would, but you can't blame him for being delerious. We really need to-"  
>Dallas would have said more, but the ground chose that moment to explode beneath him, sending himself and his partner flying into the air.<br>A massive green fist now stuck out of the stone. It was followed by a large, ugly face and a repulsive green body.  
>Jason and Patamon were watching from nearby.<br>"That's Ogremon, a Champion-level Digimon. He's one mean dude with his powerful Bone Cudgel and Pummel Whack attacks. He's got this insane rivalry with Leomon, and isn't afraid to hold back!"  
>Ogremon bellowed. "Lepumon! Patamon! Humans! Leave this place and do not return! Ifyou refuse, I will destroy every last Digimon in the city!"<br>Dallas pulled himself up to his knees. "Oh yeah? You and who's army?"  
>Ogremon turned and caught sight of him. "I speak for the Dark Legions, stupid boy! We are supreme, and I plan to prove it!<br>Bone Cudgel!" He brought the powerful bone-club in his hand down, shattering the pavement like an eggshell.  
>"We wont just abandon these people!" Jason called. "I'm not afraid of you!"<br>Ogremon looked over at him and smiled. "You should be. Pummel Whack!"  
>Jason flinched as dark enrgy was blasted from Ogremon's palm. Just before it hit, something leapt into its path, stopping the barrage. Jason looked up to see Flamedramon topple forward, badly hurt.<br>Ogremon sneered. "That's what happens when you get in my way. So, since you wont leave, this city will have to suffer in your place." He turned and began firing blasts at the buildings as he raced down the street.

#"What can we do?" Patamon asked as Dallas and Lepumon arrived.  
>"We need to tend to Flamedramon" Dallas replied. "He's hurt pretty bad."<br>Dallas knelt beside the Flame Digimon. "Can you hear me?"  
>Flamedramon wheezed. "Forget about me, the Digimon will take me to the medical center to be healed. You must worry about Ogremon. We can't let him reach Clock Tower. If he destroys the clock, time itself may fail."<br>"What?" Jason asked. "I thought the clock was just a big tower..."  
>Flamedramon shook his head. "That tower bears the remains of Chronomon, a Super-Ultimate Digimon from many years ago. If the tower is destroyed, Chronomon could be destroyed, and time would fall out of balance."<br>"That's pretty serious" Lepumon noted. "We'll have to stop Ogremon, and fast!"  
>The others nodded. "That means we have to digivolve" Patamon said.<br>"Right" Dallas grinned. "Let's do this."

DIGIVOLUTION SEQUENCE BEGIN #  
>"Lepumon digivolve to..."<br>"Patamon, digivolve to..."  
>Light flashed and data collided as the two Rookies became their Champion level.<br>"PHASEDRAMON!"  
>"ANGEMON!"<p>

Dallas lowered his D-Shifter and twisted the dial on the back. The device warped and changed until it became its D-Tector form.

SPIRIT EVOLUTION SEQUENCE BEGIN #  
>Dallas's Fractal Code appeared around his palm.<br>"Execute..." He called, running his D-Tector across the bant of power. "Spirit Evolution!"  
>Green and black armor appeared, locking together around Dallas's body. Djinnmon's bloodred mask materialized around his head. The data slowed as it began to break away.<br>"DJINNMON!" said Digimon called, exploding into reality.

The three Digimon, with Jason riding on Angemon, began to persue Ogremon.  
>"We'll need to cut him off before he reaches the tower" Djinnmon told the others. "I say we stop him at Chrono Gate, which is just north of here."<br>"Right" the others called.  
>Djinnmon raised his sword. "Shooting Star!" he swung in a circle, creating a sphere around himself. Tendrils of power wrapped around the other two, pulling them along as the sphere took off at the speed of light.<p>

"Here they come" Tsukaimon chuckled. "This is working perfectly."  
>Impmon nodded. "Once the citizens see that their precious Clock Tower is gone, they'll drive our foes out for us!"<br>Tsukaimon's grin fell. "We have to make certain it looks like they're the ones who destroyed it, though."  
>"And Chronomon's egg?" Impmon asked. "What if it survives?"<br>"Then we take it back to the master and have him raise it until it can destroy our foes" Tsukaimon said simply. "Just think, the unthinkable power of time at the legion's control! We'll be invincible!"  
>Impmon held a finger to his lips. "They're here."<br>Sure enough, the ball of light containing the Digidestined landed on the bridge.  
>"Alright, guys" Djinnmon spoke. "We only get one shot at this, so we can't fail."<br>The group nodded, preparing for Ogremon to arrive.

A second later, Ogremon came barreling around the corner.  
>"Now!" Jason called.<br>"Hand of Fate!"  
>"Drago Beam!"<br>"Exalted Wish! Thunder!"  
>The three attacks rushed toward Ogremon. They struck, causing Djinnmon to grin. "Got him."<br>But it wasn't to be. As the smoke cleared, Ogremon stood, surrounded by a dark barrier.  
>"Not possible!" Phasedramon gasped.<br>Ogremon simply grinned, before leaping into the air, over their heads, and into the next alley. He continued toward the tower.

"We can still stop him" Djinnmon declared. "If we attack while he's focused on the tower, he wont be able to defend himself!"  
>Angemon frowned. "It's risky, but I suppose we have to chance it. Can you transport us again?"<br>Djinnmon shook his head. "That technique takes a huge ammount of power. I wont be able to use it again for several minutes."  
>"That's fine" Phasedramon replied. We can fly."<br>They took to the air again, hoping against hope that they would make it in time.

"Pummel Whack!" Ogremon called, launching a flurry of blasts at the tower. "This is fun! I can't believe I almost decided to stay at the base!"  
>As he prepared another blast, he was hit from behind by a beam of energy. With a roar, he turned to see the Digidestined approaching.<br>"Drat" he muttered. "Tsukaimon's too far away to draw up another energy shield."  
>Djinnmon landed first. "The fight ends here, Ogremon!"<br>Ogremon sneered. "What makes you think you can stop me, huh?"  
>Djinnmon pointed his sword. "Barrier Shatter!" a blast of blue light lanced forward, but passed harmlessly through Ogremon.<br>"And what was that supposed to do?" Ogremon yawned.  
>Djinmon grinned. "It was supposed to stop you from forming another energy shield."<br>Ogremon's eyes slowly grew wider as what Djinnmon said dawned on him. "no, you can't!"

The citizens of the city had begun to crowd around, observing what they were sure would be an execution.  
>"Together" Djinnmon called. "One, two, three!"<br>"Hand of Fate!"  
>"Drago Beam!"<br>"Divine Wish! Light!"  
>The attacks melded together, forming a ginat beam. At the last instant, Ogremon shrank down into Goblimon and ducked out of the beam's path, causing it to rip straight through the base of the tower.<p>

Time seemed to stand still as the civilians stared at the gaping hole in their beloved tower. With a sickening crunch, the tower began to collapse.  
>"Run!" Flamedramon called. "Get away from the tower!"<br>All around, Digimon screamed, running toward the safety of the city's outer rim Several Digimon erected energy barriers, to protect them from falling debris.

Through it all, the Digidestined stood in horror. Djinnmon became Dallas again, and quickly tried to get his teammates away from the tower.  
>Flamedramon caught sight of him. "This is your fault!" he bellowed. "How dare you let the tower fall!"<br>Dallas tried to stutter an explaination, but he seemed unable to speak.  
>"No more of your filthy lies!" Flamedramon growled. "You're lucky I don't incinerate you on the spot! Get out of my city!"<br>Dallas was stunned. It had been a trap. Ogremon had lured them into attacking the tower purposely. Someone didn't want them in this city.  
>As he mounted Phasedramon, Dallas didn't even notice the two figures darting into the collapsing tower.<p>

-X-

"Did you find it?" Tsukaimon asked Goblimon.  
>"Nothing" Goblimon replied. "If the egg was here, it has been destroyed."<br>Tsukaimon nodded. "I suppose that the myth of Chronomon's destruction was a hoax. Time still moves."  
>He was interrupted as a small In-Training Digimon flapped into the room. It resembled a tiny bird with an elaborate crest on its head.<br>"What's this then?" Goblimon asked.  
>Impmon spoke up. "This is Chicchimon, an In-Training Digimon. Don't worry about him, he can't even attack."<br>"Mama!" Chicchimon squeaked. "Are you my mama?"  
>Tsukaimon glared. "Do I look like a mother to you, feather-brain? She's probably still outside. Run along now."<br>Chicchimon squeaked in terror, bolting toward the exit at top speed.  
>Once he was gone, Tsukaimon turned back to the other two.<br>"We should get out quick, or we'll take the blame for the tower's fall" he warned his comerades. "I'll make a portal so we can-"  
>He was cut off as Impmon swore lightly.<br>"What is it?" Tsukaimon asked angrilly.  
>Impmon wordlessly pointed toward the doorway Chicchimon had come through. Lying on the ground were the remains of a Digi-Egg.<br>Tsukaimon reared up in alarm. "Stop that Digimon!"

-X-

Chicchimon burst out of the tower in a panic. The sky was falling, and he didn't know who or where he was. All he knew was that the mean bat-pig had told him his mother was outside.  
>He looked around frantically. One of these Digimon must be his mother, or at least know her. He looked back and forth, spotting a pair of white-feathered wings.<br>He instantly knew that the owner of those wings would help him. He took off, and barely managed to grab the shoe of his target in his beak.  
>Angemon didn't even notice the tiny In-Training Digimon holding onto him. He simply flapped his wings and followed Phasedramon into the sky.<p>

#

So, there's another chapter of my story. I'd like to restate quickly that I still need help with the Digimon sketches I've posted on deviantART (under the same username) if anyone wants to try their hand drawing Lepumon, Phasedramon, or any of the other Digimon I've done rough sketches for, I value your help.

Next Chapter: Warrior of Time, Hyokomon. Impmon's Icy Power!

The Digidestined discover that they left Clock City with a bit more than they bargained for. Now, they must work to keep the Warrior of Time from falling into the clutches of the slaver, Meramon. But can Tsukaimon and Impmon be trusted to free them from Meramon's collection? Or will they try to take Hyokomon for their own?

#  
>Even Fire and Ice have a Dark side...<p> 


	6. Warrior of Time Hyokomon, Impmons Power!

Welcome back for another episode of Digimon Encore. I hope everyone is having a good... whatever month it'll be when I finish this.

Side note: I'm trying some experimental spacing tests with this chapter. Please don't scream or throw potato chips.

Anyway, here's that chapter y'all wanted:  
>Chapter 6: Warrior of Time: Hyokomon. Impmon's Icy Power!<p>

#Chicchimon clung to his oblivious carrier for dear life. His beak was starting to slip, and he wasn't very strong. He knew that his tiny wings would never keep him airborne.  
>#In short, one slip would send him to his doom. he only hoped for a miracle.<br>#Said miracle came as Angemon finally began to descend. The Angel Digimon followed its draconic companion down toward a dirt path. They landed softly, and Chicchimon released his grip, gasping for breath.  
>#Angemon, meanwhile, reverted back into Patamon, and Phasedramon became Lepumon. The two looked utterly exhausted after their fight with Ogremon.<br>"That guy is going to be a problem" Dallas wheezed. "He's tricky, and insanely strong. We'll have to watch out for him."  
>#As Dallas fell silent, Jason noticed the snuffling form behind Patamon. He strode over and picked Chicchimon up.<br>#"Looks like we have ourselves a stowaway" Jason grinned. "How'd you follow us, little guy?"  
>#Chicchimon gave a squeak of fear. "I woke up in a big black room, and the sky was falling. The bat-pig told me to go find my mama, but then he yelled stuff about hatching and chased me. I saw the big angel-man and thought he could help me." Chicchimon looked around after this long-winded explaination. "Where did the angel-man go?"<br>#"That was me" Patamon spoke up. "I turn into that form when I'm fighting, or carrying someone."  
>Chicchimon pinpointed the voice's origin, and squeaked. "You look just like the mean bat-pig! He was scary! He chased me and kept calling me Cro-no-man. I don't like him!"<br>#Patamon nodded. "Well, I'm not him, so you're safe now."  
>#Chicchimon chirped for joy and fluttered down onto Patamon's head. "Oh, thank you, nice pig! I knew I was smart to pick you! Now we can find my mama!"<br>#Jason leaned over to Dallas. "For a baby, he's pretty talkative, don't you think?"  
>#Dallas nodded. "It doesn't seem like he just hatched for the first time. Maybe he was degenerated into a Digi-egg before?"<br>#Chicchimon noticed them whispering. "What are you talking about? Do you know where my mama is?"  
>#Dallas sweat-dropped. "Umm... not exactly, but we'll help you try to find her!"<br>#Chicchimon squealed. "Yes! That makes me so happy, I think I'm going to-" he was cut off as a veil of data surged around him, causing giant flashes of light until...  
>"Hyokomon! the Digimon cried. He resembled a yellow chick, larger than Chicchimon had been. he wore blue clothing, had a larger crest, and carried a sword strapped to his back.<p>

#Dallas stared for a moment. "Well, that was... unexpected."  
>#######Hyokomon looked down at himself with pride. "I've managed to digivolve! And quite rapidly, too!"<br>#Jason grinned. "Well, at least we're not dragging a whining baby around now."  
>#Hyokomon looked offended. "Whining baby? That is hardly a kind remark, friend. You humans really aren't that bright at times."<br>#Jason clenched his fist. "Watch it chicken, or I might turn you into a McNugget meal."  
>Hyokomon chortled. "You wont do that. I may not look like much, but we both know I'm important in some way."<br># #"And that is why I'm interested in you" a voice cackled from above. The group looked up to see a Digimon standing in a tree. He was humanoid, but his body appeared to be covered in fire.  
>#"Who is that?" Jason asked.<br>#"Meramon" Dallas read from his digivice display. "He's a Champion Digimon with a heated personality. He enjoys fire and heat, and is cruel to every living thing. If you end up on the wrong end of his Roaring Fire or Burning Fist attacks, you might find yourself flash-fried!"  
>#Meramon grinned. "It's nice to have my own introduction. Roaring Fire!" Meramon launched an enormous stream of crimson flame at the Digidestined.<br>#"Bunny Bubble!" Lepumon cried, attempting to intercept the attack. The flames met the flying spheres, but were way too strong, lancing right through.  
>#"Burning Fist!" Meramon followed up. His hands were instantly surrounded by flame as he leapt to the ground to charge the Digidestined.<br>#"We need firepower!" jason called to Dallas. Dallas nodded, pulling out his D-Shifter and switching it to D-Arc mode.

DIGIVOLUTION SEQUENCE BEGIN.

"Lepumon, Digivolve to... Phasedramon!"  
>#Phasedramon roared. "Now let's see how strong you are! PhaseDrago Bomber!" he launched forward, intangible, before flying through Meramon and dropping his bio-explosives.<br>#There was an explosion, but no screaming came from Meramon. In fact, he seemed to be laughing.  
>#"Fool!" Meramon chuckled. "I feed on flame! I give birth to explosions! Your measly spheres are no more that a summer breeze to me!"<br>Phasedramon looked toward Dallas. "A bit of help?"  
>#Dallas nodded, pulling a card from his holder. "Digimodify! MetalSeadramon!"<br>#Bolts of energy coarsed into Phasedramon's body. "River of Power!" he cried. A bolt of aquatic energy blasted from his hand and struck Meramon. The blast knocked the Champion backwards.  
>#Meramon spat from where he'd landed. "Fools, you cannot defeat me! DemiMeramon! Candlemon! To me!"<br>Instantly, a horde of Digimon appeared all around the area. Dallas checked his digivice.  
>"Those are DemiMeramon, nasty In-Training Digimon who will swarm a foe and burn them to a crisp. Don't be fooled by their low level, as they can be extermely fierce!"<br>He turned to a Digimon with a Candle-like body and what appeared to be a smaller DemiMeramon on its wick. "That's Candlemon, a Rookie Digimon who digivolves from DemiMeramon and into Meramon. These digimon can pack quite a punch when they get angry, and their Lava Loogie attack will do a bit more than singe your eyebrows!"  
>"Lava Loogie!" a DemiMeramon called, spitting flames at the DigiDestined. The fireballs bounced easilly off of Phasedramon, but Dallas and Jason had to run to keep from being hit.<br>"I'll make this simple" Meramon called over the roar of the flames. "Hand over Hyokomon, and we'll never bother you again. If you don't, we'll be forced to take you with us!"  
>Jason spat. "If you think we'll just give you Hyokomon, you're in for a shock!"<br>"Boom Bubble!" Patamon called. He sucked in a huge volume of air before expelling it with a crack. The projectile popped as it struck Meramon, who merely laughed.  
>"Jason, I need to digivolve!" Patamon called. Jason nodded, but before he could act, his digivice was shot from his hand. Dallas screamed as he was also disarmed.<br>Meramon picked up the two tools. "Fascinating gadgets. I'll need to have Datamon inspect them" he turned to leave. "We're wasting our time here. Immobilize them."  
>Dallas had barely moved when searing hot wax hit his body. He didn't even have time to scream as the paralyzing wax brought him to the earth. The feeling in his limbs drained away as he spiraled down into the bliss of unconsciousness.<p>

-X-

As the foggy white cloud cleared from Dallas's head, a stone ceiling came into focus. Groaning, he turned his head to see Lepumon lying beside him, gagged and bound, obviously to avoid him fighting back against Meramon's goons.  
>Seeing that he was awake, a Digimon which Dallas had never seen pointed a staff at him. "Right then, you are now in the custody of Meramon the slaver. You will remain silent unless given permission to speak, and any sound otherwise will be punished. Do you understand?"<br>Dallas nodded. "May I ask who you are?"  
>The Digimon sniffed. It was sort of monkey-like, with a golden mane. Fire burst from the end of its tail, and circular gold bracers adorned its palms and forehead. "I'll tell you, I'm Coronamon, one of the great descendants of Apollomon. My Coro-Knuckle is strong enough to send Digimon three times my size to the ground, and these pretty bracers allow me to launch my super-heated Corona Flame attack."<br>Dallas nodded. "But why are you helping Meramon?"  
>Coronamon sniffed. Wasn't my choice. He took my village and said we could either work for him or be sold as slaves.<br>"But that's enough chatter. Time for you to head to the courtyard; and take that angry friend of yours with you." Coronamon motioned to a wooden door on the other side of the room. Dallas opened the door to look out on a huge area sunk into the ground. Many Digimon were in the "courtyard" were mehanically handicapped. Blunted claws, weighted wings, and muzzles kept many Digimon from attacking. Dallas shuddered, turning away.  
>"There are investigators arriving soon" Coronamon told him. "All slaves are to wait in the yard until they leave. Who knows? You might even be chosen to go with them." Coronamon sneered. "Fat chance of that, though."<br>Dallas gritted his teeth. Ignoring the bitter Rookie, he gently woke Lepumon.  
>"Don't worry" he said as Lepumon's eyes flashed with fear. "We'll get out of here."<br>Coronamon sneered. "That's what they all say, but nobody has ever escaped the prison pit."

-X-

"Are we really helping these five escape the prison pit?" Goblimon asked Tsukaimon as the three approached the smoking fireball of Meramon's mountain.  
>"Yes" Tsukaimon said through gritted teeth. "Meramon is good at what he does. He'll have beaten them half-senseless by now. That'll make them twice as easy to capture. And, since we're the ones who requested the attack in the first place, Meramon's already sworn Hyokomon to the Dark Legions. Really, we're not so much causing an escape as we are "collecting" our prize."<br>Impmon sniffed. "I don't like it. We shouldn't go in there with only two Champion forms. Maybe we should have brought DemiDevimon."  
>Tsukaimon gave him a withering glare. "DemiDevimon may be loyal to us once more, but he is still preocupied with his training to join us. Besides, father is sending us a few helpers for the job, in case things get messy."<br>Impmon nodded. The trio was almost at the castle now.  
>They reached the gates, and a powerful-looking Firamon greeted them at the gates. This Digimon was Coronamon's evolution, and resembled a winged lion.<br>"What is you business?" Firamon called.  
>"We are representatives sent by the Dark Legions. We are here to collect Hyokomon and a few others."<br>Firamon nodded. He opened the gates, and the three stepped through.

-X-

Dallas and Jason found Hyokomon's room, an iron-doored compound which held the Rookie bound. A window allowed them to see, but Hyokomon was as helpless as a child.  
>"We'll get you out" Dallas promised. "Just you wait! You'll see..."<br>"Dallas" Jason hissed quietly. "Look who just showed up."  
>Dallas turned to see Tsukaimon and company standing on the outlook above. He gasped as Hyokomon's cell opened, and a Coronamon pulled the chick Digimon into a hallway to be lead up to the platform.<br>"They're here for Hyokomon" Jason nodded. "But why?"  
>"Don't you know?" a nearby Kotemon whispered. "Hyokomon is the Child form of Chronomon, Warrior of Time!"<br>Dallas turned to him. "Warrior of Time? That must be why the Dark Legions want him."  
>"You!" a voice interrupted. The group looked up to see Firamon floating above.<br>"The investigators want to look at you, move closer to the platform!"  
>Dallas paled. They must have been after Lepumon and Patamon as well!<br>The four traveled until they were directly below the viewing platform. Tsukaimon sneered down.  
>"Well, this is quite a humorous sight." He called. "The great DigiDestined penned up in a pit. Not much use without your digivices, are you?"<br>Dallas noted that Jason was gritting his teeth with fury. The Digimon looked up with anger as well.  
>"I thank you" Tsukaimon continued, turning to Meramon "For tracking these traitors down for me. I'll just take them on my way back to-"<br>"Hold it" Meramon growled. "These humans are DigiDestined?"  
>"Yes" Tsukaimon nodded, annoyed at being interrupted.<br>Meramon's eyes flashed with glee. "Then they can trigger digivolution without the need to build up level! A prize like that... well, I just might have to keep them."  
>Realizing what Meramon was saying, Tsukaimon swelled with anger. "See here, Meramon! We took out the warrant for their capture, and we paid you to hunt them down personally. You can't just back out on your deal!"<br>Meramon sneered. "The deal's off, pig. "Take Hyokomon and the Digimon if you will, but the humans are mine." He gestured to Firamon, who cut the muzzles and bonds Lepumon and Patamon wore.

Tsukaimon was literally swelling up with rage. "How DARE you! Very well then, if you wont give them to me, I'll take them by force!" he gestured to Goblimon. "Now!"  
>In a flash of purple, Goblimon became Ogremon, nearly knocking Meramon into the pit with a mighty swing of his club.<br>"Summon the others" Tsukaimon ordered Impmon. "We'll need to leave quickly, since I can't warp as long as we're on Meramon's property." Impmon nodded, sending a blast of flame into the sky.

What happened next was so fast, Dallas almost didn't process it. Meramon moved like lightning, striking Ogremon in the jaw. Almost simultaneously, Hyokomon stabbed his small sword into the Coronamon holding him, causing the Digimon to revert into a Digi-Egg. Hyokomon now sprang at Tsukaimon, sword flashing.  
>While this was happening, Lepumon created a bubble large enough to hold them all. They floated upwards, Firamon having gone to assist his boss. Jason pulled Hyokomon off of Tsukaimon and the three began to run.<br>"How will we fight without our digivices?" Dallas called to Jason.  
>Jason shook his head. "Let's just hope we run into Datamon on the way out."<p>

-X-

Tsukaimon had to yell at the top of his lungs for Ogremon to hear him.  
>"Into the tunnel, you big galoot! The DigiDestined have Hyokomon! Hold them back as we go!"<br>Ogremon grunted, beginning to backpedal into the tunnel as Tsukaimon took flight and followed the DigiDdestined, Impmon bounding forth in front of them.  
>Meramon shook his head. "They're too far away for us to catch." He turned to Firamon. "I'm not letting those humans get away. Bring out the Raptor!"<br>Firamon gulped. "But boss, the Raptor is a risky choice."  
>Meramon's entire body swelled with flame. "I realize that you idiot! Do you think I'm a fool? Bring out the rator before I skin you alive and FEED you to it!"<br>Firamon nodded hurriedly, flying toward the cage of the mighty Raptor.

-X-

They found the building after several minutes of running. In panting frenzy, the DigiDestined headed for it, hoping the shelter would let them catch their breath.  
>Dallas took one step inside the building and knew something was off. The walls were lined with gadgets and monitors, all humming away. Technology. Meramon had mentioned discovering the technology of the digivices. That could only mean...<br>"Who are you?" a voice asked from the dorner of the room. The quintet turned to see a robotic Digimon with long sharp claws facing them.  
>Dallas nodded. "You're Datamon, I assume."<br>The Digimon frowned. "It isn't often that I've met a being who knows my name, much less a human like yourself! Why, the last time I saw a human was many years ago, back when I worked at the Autumn Leaf Fair."  
>Dallas nodded, not wanting the Digimon to begin rambling. "Please sir, we really need the devices that Meramon gave to you. It's crucial that we have them."<br>Datamon nodded. "The digivices. Yes, I've seen them before. Not the same style, mind you, but I know a thing our two about them. For example..." he lifted Dallas's D-Shifter and transformed it into D-Tector mode. "This model I've seen before. Sadly, I cannot upgrade it the way I could with the others. No, that you'll have to do on your own.  
>"But, I did add one enhancement to its D-Arc form." Datamon twisted the knob back, and pulled out a small metal rectangle. "I call it the Chronomon card! Yes, fitting, since you've got him with you" Datamon chuckled. "This card is extremely powerful, but its energy comes at a price. In theory, slashing it will give your Digimon a massive power burst, enough to launch an attack which could turn most Ultimates to ash.<br>"Unfortunately, after one use, the card will be destroyed, so use it wisely. The Holy Flare will completely purify the area as well, so remember your enemies."  
>Dallas nodded as Datamon handed him the digivice and card. "Why are you helping us? You work for the enemy!"<br>Datamon sighed. "You spoke with one of the Coronamon soldiers. Don't as how I know, but I do. I, like the others, am a slave. If I try to run, I'll be hunted down, possibly even killed. I don't have a choice here.  
>"Working for Meramon is quite worse than even joining the forces of evil. The Dark Legions at least have the decency to destroy their foes, but Meramon offers something far worse-suffering for the rest of your life. If a Digimon is killed, they are reborn as an egg. But Meramon's slaves are like medals. He wears them on his flaming chest, demanding a price of anyone who wants one, where it will just be pinned to the buyer until it dissolves. The only way to free the slaves without great cost is to take out the bearer. Murder is one thing, since life ends for the victim. But slavery takes all of the emptiness, all of the suffering, and shoves it in your face until you dissolve into nothing."<br>Dallas nodded. "Thank you for your inspiring words. If it is alright, we'll take our leave now."  
>Datamon nodded, handing Jason his digivice. "Very well. Farewell DigiDestined, and remember who the true foe is."<br>With that, the group marched out. Straight into the hands of Tsukaimon's group.

-X-

Dallas had expected an attack. He'd thought that Tsukaimon would knock them out and whisk them back to the Dark Legions, or at least try. So he couldn't have been more surprised when Tsukaimon brought a paw to his lips, signalling silence.  
>"Don't make a sound, DigiDestined. Meramon has withdrawn, we don't know why, but he'll return soon. Now, let's get out of this camp, and wait to settle our differences until we do."<br>Dallas nodded, motioning to the others to follow. They stepped out, and he noticed the group of Crabmon.  
>"Crabmon?" Dallas asked, checking his digivice. "Why Crabmon? They're Rookie-level Digimon, and although they can take a hit with their tough shells, their Scissors Attack wont do much against the enemy."<br>Tsukaimon nodded. "Yes, but they are Deep Savers, and their armor protects them. We have more that enough forces, and Meramon's henchmen are all of the fire property."  
>Dallas shook his head. "Alright, but don't blame me when your 'great forces' get turned into crab cocktail."<br>"Silence!" Tsukaimon growled. "We must hurry, or Meramon will discover our location!"  
>"A bit late for that, I'm afraid."<br>Tsukaimon hissed as Meramon dropped from the sky on the back of a Digimon which resembled a flaming bird.  
>"That's Birdramon" Jason said. "It's a powerful Champion Digimon. It can fly almost as fast as Phasedramon, and its Meteor Wing attack launches thousands of flaming comets!"<br>Meramon leapt from Birdramon's back. "Burning Fist!" he cried. On impact, flames swept around his arms, which he used to send Ogremon sprawling, reverting him into Goblimon.  
>"Who's next?" Meramon called. "I'll destroy all of you together if I must, but I'm taking those humans with me!"<br>"I don't think so!" Dallas called. Lepumon quickly digivolved and flew toward the enemy.  
>"Burning Fist!" Meramon cackled, striking Phasedramon. "You're still too weak to defeat me!"<br>"I don't think so!" a voice called. "Pillar of Flame!" Meramon was instantly surrounded by roaring walls of blue fire. He turned to see Impmon, fingers ablaze. "You'll have to go through me, too!"

Meramon actually cackled. "What can you do against me?"  
>"Impmon smirked. "A lot more than you'd think! Meramon, your reign of power is over!" Light began to surround his body.<br>"Impmon, digivolve to..." Sub-zero air began to collect around Impmon as his body elongated. He grew wings, which were quickly frosted over.  
>"ICEDEVIMON!" he cried, fully digivolved.<br>Dallas gasped. "That's IceDenimon, the digivolved form of Impmon. He's a lot like Devimon, but he's got even more power. After you feel his Frozen Claw and Icy Shower attacks, you'll be too chilled out to fight!"  
>IceDevimon grinned. "Well then, Meramon. Let's see how you fare when your flames are so cold they burn! Frozen Claw!" IceDevimon swept his claw forward, catching Meramon in the jaw. The slaver stumbled back.<br>"Icy Shower!" IceDevimon continued, bringing down sheaths of ice to hold Meramon in place. It wasn't enough, however, and Meramon was still breaking free.  
>"It's not enough!" Tsukaimon frowned. "Meramon's got enough power to equal an Ultimate Digimon!"<br>Dallas froze upon hearing that. "An Ultimate Digimon" he muttered. "This is what Datamon meant! He said the Chronomon card had enough power to defeat an Ultimate Digimon!" He pulled out the card, but stopped.  
>'Wait a minute' he thought. 'Meramon can probably be defeated with a combined attack, but after we beat him, Tsukaimon will just attack us!' he turned. 'I always had the feeling that Tsukaimon was more powerful than he let on, so what if this is the only way I can defeat him?'<br>IceDevimon took another blow. "Hey, kid! I could use some help here!"  
>Dallas was about to slash the card and order an attack on Tsukaimon when he stopped.<br>"The Dark Legions at least have the decency to destroy their foes, but Meramon offers something far worse-suffering for the rest of your life. If a Digimon is killed, they are reborn as an egg. But Meramon's slaves are like medals. The only way to free the slaves without great cost is to take out the bearer." Datamon had said. He meant now. He knew this would happen. Heknew Dallas would have to make a choice. But was it worth it?  
>"Remember who the greates enemy is" Datamon had said. Dallas nodded. "I sure hope this is right." He slashed the card. "Digimodify! Chronomon!"<br>"Holy Flare!"  
>Lights flashed, and Dallas was blinded.<p>

-X-

When the smoke cleared, Dallas could see his chosen target on the ground, a perfectly round hole in his chest. Data leaked away slowly as the victim gasped for life.  
>Meramon was dying. Dallas had chosen.<p>

The slaver looked to Dallas with something close to admiration in his eyes.  
>"That took guts, kid" he gasped. "For a minute there, I was sure you'd choose your little foe over there.<br>"But ask yourself: what do you gain from this? I'll return eventually, maybe not even knowing who I am, but I'll be back. Whereas, your enemy is actually strong enough to destroy you. He just doesn't realize it yet.  
>"You made the choice. You chose to strike me down over the one who wants you and all your friends dead. Perfect decision, kid. You've lost."<br>With that, Meramon gave a final shudder and dissolved.

Dallas turned to the others. "Alright Tsukaimon. Meramon's out of the way, so are you still going to capture us? Kill us? Make us suffer?"  
>Tsukaimon stared hard at Dallas. "This time, human, I'll let you run away to lick your wounds. Run, and be prepared. My master will never stop chasing you, and Mercurymon will return to the hunt in a matter of days. Run away, hero. I won't stop you."<br>Dallas nodded, turning finally to Firamon. "Go back to the prisoners and set them all free. Then take the Coronamon back to your village. Meramon wont trouble you againg for a long, long time."  
>Firamon nodded. "Thank you, human. I will do that." he swept into the air and flew away.<p>

Dallas surveyed the scene once more. The 'Raptor' had been subdued by the Crabmon, and Jason was walking with a slight limp. Lepumon lay on the ground, exhausted, and Patamon was curled up on Jason's head. Only Hyokomon seemed unscathed, but nobody had wanted to harm the greates prize.  
>Dallas frowned. "We can't ever get a break, can we?" he nodded. "Right then, I guess we'll have to move out. Let's get clear of this place before something else tries to kill us." His partners laughed. They nodded as they followed him out the gates.<p>

-X-

DemiDevimon stood on a small pillar, waiting for instruction.  
>"You have learned well" a shadowy voice told him. "You have returned to your path, and you are stronger than ever.<br>"So return now to my son. And when you next meet the DigiDestined. They had better not survive the encounter."  
>DemiDevimon nodded. "Yes, my lord. It shall be done."<p>

0 #  
>Phew! Finally done with this chapter! Happy St. Patricks day to everyone, and I hope you continue to read my stories.<p>

Another challenge for the chance to win virtual brownie points! Datamon said he'd met a human before. Can anyone guess who?" *Hint: It has something to do with the paragraph right before he talks about the Chronomon card.*

Anyway, hope you enjoyed it! Here's a small preview of the next chapter!"

Chapter 7: To the Temple, Hyokomon! Mercurymon Closes In!

The DigiDestined have nearly reached the Temple of Chronomon, but Mercurymon is waiting for them once more. How will the DigiDestined defeat an Ultimate Digimon? And how will Dallas react when he learns the truth about a friend?"

Even Fire and Ice have a Dark side... 


	7. The Temple of Time! Mercurymon Attacks!

Well, It's time once more for an episode of Digimon Encore! Y'all will be proud to know that I've just completed a FULL OVERVIEW for Digimon Encore, Digimon Battle Arena, and... something else too. Yup, there's another surprise after Battle Arena! Should I tell you guys what it is? SHOULD I?

Well, enough of my blabbering. Here you go-another chapter!

Chapter Seven: To the Temple, Hyokomon! Mercurymon Closes In!

Dallas sighed as he stood, hopelessly lost, in a sea of green. His friends were nowhere to be seen, and his digivice wasn't communicating properly.  
>"Great" he moaned. "I got lost in this stupid forest, and now I wont be able to get any help. Why is it that anytime we've entered a forest in the Digital World, I get separated from everyone else?"<br>"Perhaps it is because you are an even bigger fool than I imagined." Dallas spun around to meet a grinning, faceless mask.  
>"Mercurymon" he gasped. "What do you want?"<br>Mercurymon tilted his head to one side. "How did it feel, human, to hold power so great, it could wipe out that brute, SkullGreymon? How did it feel to be the total balancing point in a battle? At the end, you hesitated, didn't you? I can see it in your eyes, you were going to change targets, wipe out Tsukaimon. Even now, you wonder if it was the right decision."  
>Mercurymon leaned forward, his bitter breath had a pungent, rusty tang. "Well, I'll tell you one thing, human: Meramon was a tyrant, a slaver, and a murderer. But I have the power of divination among my skills. Soon, you will be regretting your decision with your entire soul."<br>Mercurymon now retreated several paces. "Enjoy your trip, human. Your friends search for you to the southwest, and the temple you seek lies north. You have until then to live. Then, I will make good on my promise. I have been gone a long while, training myself, and others. I am ready, but are you?" With that, he vanished in a flash.

-X-

"We need to figure out what he wants" Jason said simply. "Mercurymon knows we're going to the Temple of Chronomon, so we'll need to be ready. It sounds like he's gained even more power since we saw him last. We'll need to be quick, silent, and hard-hitting to get there before him."  
>Dallas shook his head. "That wont help. We know Mercurymon, and he's not one to let up on a fight. He'll be there when we arrive, and you can bet that our only choice will be to fight."<br>The somber understanding hit them all. Mercurymon knew this game. He had played it many times before. Dallas and Jason were new, and had much less experience.  
>Dallas frowned. "But suppose we beat him? Suppose he's actually defeated?"<br>Lepumon spoke up. "It would be nice to lose one of our enemies, but I don't think we have the power for that."  
>"He's right" Hyokomon spoke up. "If we wish to defeat this Mercurymon character, we'll need more power. I suggest we not progress to my temple yet, but wait until we have sufficient skill to stop this adversary."<br>"It's our best choice" Patamon added. "If we wait and train, then we may stand a chance."  
>The five nodded. Mercurymon would have to wait.<p>

-X-

High in a nearby tree, Archemon and Houndmon looked down at their foes.  
>"The fools" Archemon grinned. "This is going to be exciting. Instead of a fox hunt, it's a Tamer hunt! Let's go!"<br>The two dropped from the trees, both letting out a howl of excitement. The Digidestined shot to their feet, noticing the threat.  
>"Not you two again!" Dallas growled angrilly.<br>"Yep, it's us!" Archemon nodded. "Surprise! We're here to take you out, unless you run! Arrow of Woe!"  
>The five friends darted away as the projectile hissed into a nearby tree, which was immediately consumed by black flames.<br>"He's driving us toward the temple!" Hyokomon warned. "We have no choice but to take our chances and face Mercurymon"  
>"We could fight" Dallas offered, gasping. We've got three Champions, and there are only two of them!"<br>Jason shook his head. "These two are stronger than normal. We can't risk it!"  
>There was really no other choice. They could fight to the death here, or keep moving and try to escape Mercurymon's wrath. So, they pressed on.<p>

-X-

Archemon was puffing heavilly when he stopped.  
>"I really need to get in better shape" he muttered. "But those brats wont be stopping until they reach the temple, so our work here is done." He opened a shadowy portal, and he and his brother vanished.<p>

-X-

"This is it" Hyokomon gasped. "The legendary Temple of Chronomon! This is where I trained until I left to protect Clock City. We'll be alright here!"  
>Dallas frowned. "No sign of the Dark Legions yet. It could be an ambush, to seal us within the temple."<br>"Let's hope so" Jason nodded. "And let's hope Mercurymon isn't inside waiting to kill us."

They entered the temple, and Hokomon gave a peep of joy. "This is it! I can feel my ancestry coursing through this place!"  
>"Of course" a voice spoke up. "You, Chronomon, have been here many times before." they turned to see a digimon floating toward them. It resembled a man sitting atop a clock, its eyes large and mysterious.<br>"This is Clockmon" Dallas read from his digivice. "He's a wise old Champion Digimon with a mysterious role. Wherever you find him, he'll be guarding something sacred. Something... like the shrine of Chronomon!"  
>Clockmon nodded. "That is precisely correct. I am here for the purpose of training the reborn Chronomon. I will instruct him until he returns to his full power."<br>Dallas nodded. "Mr. Clockmon, sir. I hate to say this, but you may not be safe here. Mercurymon is going to attack this temple and-"  
>"Who said anything about attacking the temple?" a voice called down. The humans and Digimon looked up to see Mercurymon standing atop a huge Chronomon statue.<br>"Now then" Mercurymon grinned. "It's time for the two of you to meet your doom, so let's go outside and settle this."  
>Clockmon glared. "You have no right to be in this sacred place!"<br>Mercurymon grinned. "Sacred? A rockpile with its patron long dead? There's nothing sacred about this place now!"  
>Clockmon looked fit to burst. "See here now! I-"<br>Mercurymon raised his hand to cut the elderly Digimon off. "I don't care for your mumbo-jumbo. I am here to challenge the Digidestined to combat. I will wait for you outside. You'll have to leave this place eventually."  
>Jason stepped forward. "You're nothing but a bully! If you beat us, you'll just destroy this place!"<br>Mercurymon grinned. "Tempting, but no. I swear upon otah that If I win, I will not harm this temple."  
>"And if you lose?" Dallas asked.<br>Mercurymon's grin, if possible, grew even larger. "Well, my dear Dallas. If I lose I will, of course, be dead!"  
>Dallas nodded. "Fine. We accept your terms."<br>Mercurymon turned. "I'll wait in the temple courtyard while you say your goodbyes. If you aren't out in five minutes, I'll tear this place out of the ground." With that, he leaned forward and jumped off the roof.

Dallas turned to the others. "No matter what happens, no matter who falls, we keep him away from the temple, got it?  
>Jason nodded. "We can take this guy, though. It'll be easy!"<br>Dallas's smile barely held. "You bet we will. We're the Ultimate Team, right?"  
>Lepumon, Patamon, and Jason nodded. "Right."<br>Dallas turned toward the doors. "This is either brilliant, or very stupid. Either way, we're not going down without a fight! Let's go!"

-X-

Mercurymon's omnipresent grin increased as the Digidestined made their way out the doors of the temple.  
>"Welcome, my friends, to your doom." he called. "It is time for you to truly feel the stinging bite of defeat."<br>"Dream on, Mercurymon!" Dallas called. "You arent going to harm this temple!"  
>Mercurymon sighed. "How many times must I repeat that I'm not after the temple, nor anyone currently within. Chronomon is no longer a variable in my master's plan. He can rot on his path through digivolution for all I care!"<br>Jason's glare grew as he stepped forward. "We're ready to beat you, Mercurymon! Nothing you say can make us afraid!"  
>"Yeah!" Patamon and Lepumon agreed. The two Digidestined took out their digivices, and joined their partners for the final sentance. "We will never give up!"<p>

DIGIVOLUTION SEQUENCE BEGIN 

"Lepumon!"  
>"Patamon!"<br>"Digivolve to..."  
>Lights flashed, and the world spun as the two digivolved.<br>"Phasedramon!"  
>"Angemon!"<br>The two Champions emerged, and flew into the air. This merely caused Mercurymon to grin.  
>"A fine bit of flashy acting, but you are not the only one with surprises! I have up weeks of persuing you to prepare myself for this!" he pulled out what appeared to be a clay sculpture sporting several green pods. "Prepare to feel the full wrath of the beast!"<p>

Bands of light, which Dallas recognized as Fractal Code, looped around Mercurymon. "Mercurymon! Slide Evolution!"  
>Hands, feet, shields, and head alike warped and changed, becoming spherical in shape. Green lines of metal connected the spheres until their size broke through the wall of code.<br>"Sakkakumon!" The new form rumbled. "Behold, digidestined! The form of your destruction!"  
>Dallas was transfixed in fear, lost in a memory hidind on the edge of his thoughts. This monster was their foe, and he knew it somehow. But from what?<br>While Dallas was frozen, Jason pulled out his digivice and scanned the new foe.  
>"Sakkakumon. He's an Ultimate level Digimon of incredible power. A decendant of the Ancient Warrior of Steel, his Rumble Blend attack lets him absorb your attacks and learn them for himself!"<br>Sakkakumon's appearance was gristly. Each of the ten spheres making up its body, save for the top and center spheres, held eyes on three sides, with the final side connected to the others by a system of green cables. The center sphere bore a circular symbol with spiking purple lines protruding in all directions.  
>The top mouth, horrifically, bore the evil grin which the Digidestined had often seen on Mercurymon's face was pasted on the front.<br>"Yes, behold the form of my beastial rage" Sakkakumon rumbled. "Now you will feel the full force of my power!"  
>"Digimon have been saying that a lot lately" Phasedramon noted. "I recall that most of them ended up dead."<br>Sakkakumon remained silent to that remark. He simply floated like a giant angel of death. "Well, heroes. Aren't you brave enough to attack an Ultimate? Or are you merely cowards?"  
>Dallas raised his hand to call an attack, but something stopped him. With the strength of an Ultimate, Sakkakumon should be able to ravage their forces. But he did nothing.<br>"He's baiting us" Jason came to the same conclusion as Dallas. "His attacks are only useable once he's copied one of ours. Take that away, and he's powerless."  
>The Digimon hesitated upon hearing this, but Sakkakumon simply grinned.<br>"Indeed, human. My only current ability is to reflect your own powers at you, but I have more tricks than it seems." The spheric monster suddenly hurtled himself downward, striking the earth and sending up a shower of boulders. "Rumble Blend!" he called, and the projectiles were absorbed into his being.  
>"Earth Shatter!" he continued, dubbing the attack. Instantly, boulders materialized around him, and flung themselves at the Digidestined.<br>"Scatter!" Dallas called. The group separated, and the boulders missed all but Phasedramon, whos wing was clipped. The Champion was sent spinning to the earth.  
>"Are you alright?" Dallas called as he ran over.<br>"Fine" Phasedramon grunted. "Should have gone intangible, but a few pebbles wont stop me!"  
>Sakkakumon seemed to think otherwise. "Earth Shatter!" he called again. The boulders came down, but Phasedramon was ready.<br>"Drago Beam!" he called. the rays of light shot forth, burning through the boulders, and for a moment, Dallas thought they were safe.  
>"Rumble Blend!" Sakkakumon called. He arranged his spheres to absorb the beam, then returned to normal.<br>"Drago Beam!" he now called. Each of his eyes lit up, and shot a blast of power at them. The beams struck both Champions, dropping them once more to the earth.  
>"C'mon, Sakkakumon!" a voice called. Dallas groaned to see Tsukaimon and his lackeys standing there. Tsukaimon was cheering, while Impmon, Goblimon, and DemiDevimon stood back.<br>'Wait', Dallas thought. 'DemiDevimon?'  
>Sakkakumon noticed Dallas's confusion. "Ah, yes. How was Dallas to know that little DemiDevimon was a high-ranking member of the Dark Legions? Sad how misguided humans can be. Drago Beam!"<p>

Dallas winced, but the blast never came. He looked up slowly to see Clockmon floating there, holding the lasers back.  
>"Don't worry, kid" he called. "You're about to get one heck of an assistant."<br>Suddenly, light emanated from the temple, and a tall being burst from the roof. It was avian in appearance, with ong wings, razor-clawed feet, and a beak. But it wore a kimono of sorts, along with a straw hat. At its waist were two sheathed katana swords, just waiting for battle.  
>"Buraimon!" it called.<br>Dallas pulled out his digivice. "Well, it looks like Hyokomon got even stronger! That's Buraimon, a powerful Champion Digimon, whose Swallow Duet Reverse is powerful enough to blow a rift in time and space!"

Buraimon descended to the ground, pulling out both katana "Leave them be, Sakkakumon! You know you have more power, so they cannot hope to defeat you.  
>"But I challenge you to trial by single combat! You will fight me in their stead!"<br>Sakkakumon rumbled with laughter. "Very well, bird! I'll fight you, and your friends MIGHT go free."  
>"They WILL go free, or I'll vaporize you where you stand!"<br>Sakkakumon knew the Champion couldn't be too powerful yet, but he didn't want to risk it. "Very well. You have my word that they will be safe."  
>Without even nodding, Buraimon struck. "Swallow Duet Reverse!" he cried. The twin swords flashed together against the central pod of the body, but Sakkakumon merely laughed.<br>"How ironic" he grinned. "That you should strike the exact sphere I use to absorb attacks from Holy Digimon! Swallow Duet Reverse!"  
>Buraimon grunted as twin blades swung out of the pod and assaulted him. The impacts agains his well-trained sword were fast and powerful.<p>

Suddenly, amongst the swordplay, something split. A double blow shook the earth, and an envelope of light unfolded underneath the Digidestined. They didn't even have time to cry out as they fell deep into the unknown.

"After them, fools!" Sakkakumon roared. "We can't let them escape!"  
>"I had your word that you wouldn't harm them!" Buraimon cried as he watched Tsukaimon and friends go.<br>"Yes" Sakkakumon grinned. "And I am most clearly NOT harming them. Whether my assistants do or not, I have no power over."  
>Buraimon angrilly jumped forward, crossing blades with his foe once more.<p>

-X-

Dallas sat on the ground where he had fallen. He couldn't believe that that little friendly DemiDevimon was part of the Dark Legions! True, he was a Nightmare Soldier, but that didn't make him evil!  
>Dallas was contemplating this silently when a voice spoke to him.<br>"Well, look who we have here."  
>That voice! How on earth could he be hearing that voice? He slowly looked upward to see a smiling brown-haired boy in a blue jacket, red T-shirt, and jeans. He knew this person. Aside from the unfamiliar wardrobe, he knew precisely who he was.<br>Dallas stared in bafflement at the last person he'd expected to see.

Himself.

* * *

><p>END<p>

**Well, there's the next chapter, and I'm happy, because we finally reached the AU arc! This one is going to get confusing, no lie. But it also reveals several powerful new forms, and even new digivolutions.**

**Well, I'm sorry this took a while. Please leave a review if you liked it! I need reviews the way I need sugar- sugar is all sweet and nice, but eat too much and you become addicted.**

**So, please review, and be prepared for the next shocking chapter of Digimon Encore! Here's a teaser right here:**

**Chapter Eight: Double Trouble Dallas! The Monster Revealed!**

**Dallas is surprised as he meets himself-in an alternate dimesion! Now, Dallas and Jason must learn the secrets to unlocking Ultimate digivolution, and a new power is found, the power of the Crests! Of course, these two will need it once they finally meet Tsukaimon's strongest form!**

**Even Fire and Ice have a Dark side...**


	8. Double Trouble Dallas! Monster Revealed

Well, here's another chapter of Digimon Encore! I'm sorry it's taking so long between updates (except when I'm super-happy, then it happens fast the way it did this time), but with the software I use, it's hard to get things loaded. My NEO-which is both a best friend and a bitter enemy-can't do bold, and it has problems with paragraph indentations, so I have to go back through and do it manually; through 7-10 pages, average 30 paragraphs per page. Plus the fact that I usually can't tell where the paragraphs are due to my own idiocy.

But you don't want to hear my complaints. You want a story, eh? Right then, here you go:

Chapter Eight: Double Trouble Dallas! The Monster Revealed!

It was strange, awkward even, as the two Dallas gazed at each-other. The other looked like him, acted like him, and even dressed similar. Dallas gaped at the other for a moment.  
>"Well, here's a handsome face if I ever saw one" the other chuckled. "I'd introduce myself, but I get the feeling you know who I am."<br>Dallas managed to choke out one word: "How?"  
>The other looked up. "You fell from a hole in the sky. Must have been one huge mass of power to fling you here. Welcome to the AU!"<br>"Ayoo?" Dallas asked.  
>"It's an acronymon" Other Dallas explained. "It stands for 'Alternate Universe'. There's dozens of us out here, all connected by the Digital World, but we're the bigest one. If you manage to leave Digica Prime, chances are, you'll end up here."<br>Dallas's head was swimming. "So this is another universe? And you're aware of it?"  
>AU Dallas nodded. "It's not actually common knowledge, since the only way to hop between the dimensions is through the Digital World, but I've picked up some knowledge in my year of being here."<br>Dallas practically choked. "A year! Jason and I have only been here a few weeks!"  
>AU's eyebrow rose. "Jason? I remember him. Good kid, always knew the right thing to say. Can't say I've seen him lately, though."<br>"You mean he didn't come with you?" Dallas asked incredulously.  
>"Differences" AU pointed out. "When the two of us come from different points in the Multiverse, we can't say we'll live the same lives.<br>"For example: I see that your Lepumon is brown, not black or silver. That means it's the Vaccine form. I've seen all three, but You've probably only seen your own."  
>Dallas looked at Lepumon, who had been roused by the conversation. "So there are other Lepumon in different colors?"<br>AU nodded. "It depends on their attribute. If they're Vaccine, they're brown like yours. If they're Virus, they're a nasty black color. And if they're Data, they look like mine." he pointed to the side, where Dallas looked in shock.  
>Standing nearby was a Digimon which looked exactly like Lepumon, but its coloration was completely off. The brown fur Dallas had become accustomed to was a bright silver, and the eyes were a startling orange.<br>"Pleased to meet ya!" Data Lepumon grinned, extending his hand in greeting. Dallas shook the paw, and his own Lepumon nodded hello.

(AN: For simplicity's sake, AU Dallas and Lepumon will be called AU Dallas and D Lepumon, while our own heroes will have their regular names)

Now, Jason arrived, stunned at seeing two Dallases.  
>"How?" he asked simply, the same question Dallas had used.<br>"Long story" Dallas nodded. "We're in another dimension."  
>Jason nodded. "I can accept that."<br>AU Dallas grinned. "I can see why you brought this guy. Tell him he's in another universe, and he just goes 'okay'."  
>Jason shrugged. "It's actually become a bit of a common occurrence lately, so I just roll with it."<br>AU Dallas nodded. "Okay then. By the way, were those other four Digimon friends of yours?"  
>"Other four?" Patamon asked.<br>AU nodded. "After you guys fell, four more Digimon came down. One of them turned into this big white bat-thing and took the others down, and I assumed they were your friends."  
>"Must have been Impmon" Lepumon spat. "He digivolves to IceDevimon, who fits the description perfectly."<br>"Then that means Tsukaimon followed us" Dallas nodded. "And they're likely hunting us right now."  
>"In that case" AU Dallas turned. "We need to get you guys somewhere safe. Lepumon, can you point the way to the nearest place you know of?"<br>D Lepumon nodded. "There's an old ruin just to the south. We can make it there in a few minutes."  
>AU Dallas nodded, then turned to his counterpart. "I assume your Digimons' Champion forms can fly?"<br>"Yup!" Patamon spoke up. "We've both got flying forms, so we can get where you need us to go!"  
>"Good" AU held up his digivice, which was blue, as opposed to Dallas's green. "Shall we then?"<p>

DIGIVOLUTION ONLINE

"Lepumon!"  
>"Lepumon!"<br>"Patamon!"  
>"Digivolve to..."<br>Lepumon and Patamon executed their regular evolutions, then D Lepumon began his change. His fur melted away into hardened blue scales. Wings grew from his back. Soon, his transformation finished.  
>"Phasedramon!"<br>"Phasedramon!"  
>"Angemon!"<br>Dallas gazed in awe at Phasedramon's Data form. It looked much-less hostile, and had slits for gills on both sides of its neck. Its eyes were still a bursting orange, but were calmer than its Vaccine form. It was less fierce-looking in general, and its horns were actual appendages, waving slightly in the wind.  
>"That's... different" both Dallases noted simultaneously.<br>"He looks so angry!"  
>"And he looks so much calmer!"<br>"That's so cool!" they finished together.  
>Jason facepalmed. "Yep. These two are definitely the same guy."<p>

-X-

Once the Digidestined were in the air, AU Dallas turned to his counterpart with questions about his reality.  
>"As far as I can tell, it's pretty similar to this place" he said. "Except that I only got here a few weeks ago, and you seem to have been here a while. Plus, there doesn't seem to be any sign of the Dark Legions here."<br>"The who?" AU asked, confused.  
>"The Dark Legions are a society of evil Digimon who have been after us since we got here" Dallas explained. "Those other Digimon who followed us here are part of it, and we were sent here after Sakkakumon and our friend Buraimon started fighting."<br>AU Dallas scratched his head. "Buraimon is the Champion form of Chronomon, so it makes sense that he would have time-space abilities. That, combined with Sakkakumon's power to use any technique he absorbs, could have opened a temporal rift to send you two here."  
>Dallas nodded. "Right then. How do we get out?"<br>AU thought about it for a moment. "There have been rumors about an object called the Tempia Stone, which allows one to pass from one dimension into another. Unfortunately, it requires a huge power source, and only a select few know where it is.  
>"If you two could find the stone and manage to power it, you might be able to return to your dimension. That's the best offer I can give."<br>Dallas thought about it. "But what happens if we leave those Dark Legion goons behind? They'll probably try to attack you too!"  
>AU Dallas grinned. "They could try, but we can handle them." he patted Phasedramon's back. "After all, we've got the power of an Ultimate on our side."<p>

Dallas gasped a bit. "Your Lepumon can digivolve to Ultimate?"  
>AU nodded. "It was several months ago, but we were able to train enough that he digivolved. After that, we went around rooting out all the evil in our Digital World, so it's peaceful at the moment."<br>Dallas beamed "So it IS possible! Maybe that's what we need in order to beat Mercurymon!"  
>AU grinned. "Glad I could help. And it looks like we're here!"<br>The three Champions qickly descended toward an ancient-looking temple. Dallas quickly dismounted, following AU inside.  
>"Looks pretty old to me" Jason noted. "What are those?"<br>He was pointing to two spherical objects sitting on a pedastal. One seemed to be made of silver, with gears, cogs, and pistons attached. The other was golden, with tiny orange wings on the sides.  
>"Those?" AU pointed. "They've been there forever. They're called Armor Digi-eggs, and they are destined to be used in a time of great peril by heroes. The legend says that the heroes will use these powers to drive out evil, but will lose them soon after. One will be rediscovered, though in a different manner, after the radiant beams of Hope fall upon the Destined. The other will be found again when the need for Balance in the world becomes most severe." AU stopped. "Oh, sorry. I must sound like an old textbook or something, but that's the legend."<br>Dallas whistled. "'Time of great peril', huh? Sure seems to fit the bill." he reached down and yanked on the golden Digi-egg, but it remained as immovable as ever. "Guess it isn't for me. That would be useful, though. Radiant beams of Hope and Balance in the world, or whatever it was."  
>AU nodded. "Yes, well now would be the time to search for the Tempia Stone. Something in this temple might give us a clue. I say we spread out and read the inscriptions on the walls."<br>The others nodded. Dallas and Jason went one way, while AU Dallas went the other way. The Digimon were left near the Digi-Eggs to rest for a moment.

As they went along, Dallas was stopped by Jason.  
>"It's so weird" Jason noted. "He acts just like you, and yet he seems... different."<br>"He's been here on his own for so long" Dallas replied. "It would make sense that he's changed a bit."  
>Jason frowned. "Still, it feels different. I don't think I like the-"<br>"Got it!" Dallas declared. "This talks about the Tempia Stone!" he leaned down to read better. "The portal of the worlds; the stone of unity, Tempia. When Shadow's great threat rests upon the land once more, travel the Rail of Light to the Station in the Sky. Unleash the Virus's downfall, and the Ultimate energy will unseal the gate for a day and an hour."  
>"But what does it all mean?" Jason asked. "Rail of Light? Shadow's Threat? The Virus's Downfall, and the Ultimate energy? Seems pretty cryptic to me."<br>"Well it seems quite obvious to me" a voice sneered. The two boys whirled around to see Tsukaimon standing there.  
>"Not you again!" Dallas growled. "So we fall into a completely separate universe, and you STILL managed to follow us?"<br>Tsukaimon frowned. "I'll admit, it wasn't easy. But it was so simple to knock out your Rookie friends, and that idiot doppleganger of yours." Tsukaimon's sneer deepened. "But now that we know the steps to finding the Tempia Stone, nothing will stop us from sealing you here forever!" he turned, and his group of allies followed him as they rushed toward the entrance.  
>Dallas and Jason struck out in pursuit. They reached the entrance of the temple, where Tsukaimon turned to face them.<br>"I see it wont be so easy to deter you" he commented. "Very well. If we can't forestall you, we'll have to destroy you!" He closed his eyes as streams of data swirled around him. Winglike ears became giant, ragged things, flapping with the force of a monsoon. Forepaws became nasty claws, and a sweeping tail grew. The face lengthened and stretched, giving the creature a devilishly monstrous look.  
>"Devidramon!" The new form called.<br>The two heroes gazed up in horror at the draconic beast before them.  
>"Devidramon" Dallas declared, lifting his digivice. "He's a Champion Digimon said to be created from pure rage. He's often seen carrying other Evil Digimon to their destinations, but that doesn't make him a servant. His Molech Gaze will leave a foe unable to move, and he finishes the job with his deadly Crimson Claw!"<br>Devidramon roared. "Right then, heroes! Your Digimon are unable to help you, and I am powerful enough to destroy the both of you! So what will you do? Hide in your little temple while I raze it to the ground? Or will you fight against me and perish?"  
>Dallas's expression was as hard as steel. "Even if you think you can beat us, you're still only a Champion!" he pulled out his digivice. "And I've got a Champion form too!"<br>Devidramon, instead of being afraid, actually started to laugh. "A noble choice, but foolhardy. As you are not of this world, any digital transformations you attempt are ultimately useless. Only the energies of this universe can remain. You're lucky your partners could even become their Champion forms, and I expect even that will be impossible now." he turned with a grin. "But my team of mercenaries do not need your fancy gadgets to digivolve. We are the greatest, and you will be crushed!"  
>Dallas paled. It was true. Despite his best concentration, his digivice was not responding as he tried to switch it to D-Tector mode. They were truly powerless.<br>"We have no choice" he said to Jason. "We have to retreat. Let's get inside the temple and find the other Dallas. He'll be able to stop them."  
>Jason nodded. On cue, the two turned and ran toward the cave.<br>"So be it!" Devidramon called. Quickly, his allies digivolved. "You choose the destruction of this temple! Prepare for your doom!" The enemies began to fire their attacks at the temple.

-X-

Unfortunately for the heroes, AU Dallas could barely stand. His knees knocked together, and he nearly passed out again. It was only with assistance from Jason that he managed to stand at all.  
>"Dallas" he rasped. "You can't let them destroy the temple, and you can't be trapped here! You need to escape!"<br>Dallas was sitting with his head in his hands. "I know, I know. But our digivolutions aren't working, and they're covering the entrance!"  
>He turned toward the two Digi-Eggs. "We could use a miracle right now! I get that you're only supposed to be used in times of peril by some great heroes, but we're heroes! And we really do need help! Please!"<br>Nothing. The Digi-Eggs remained silent. Dallas cursed. Of course nothing would happen. If they were meant to be saved by the Digi-Eggs, he would have been able to lift the golden one, or-  
>The answer hit Dallas like a bolt of greased lightning. He had only tried to lift the golden Digi-Egg! He'd never even considered simply switching to the silver one!<br>"That's it!" he exclaimed. "I grabbed the wrong one! Maybe..." he strode over to the silver egg. On inspection, it looked rather like some sort of vehicle. A small green symbol portrayed a long rectangle balancing atop the point of a triangle. Other than that, it could have been a car, or a boat.  
>Or a train.<br>"The Rail of Light!" he exclaimed. "This is it! This is what the prophecy spoke about! This is how we get back to our world!" and without hesitation, he yanked the Digi-Egg from its pedastal.  
>Energy flashed as the egg parted from the base. Dallas's D-Shifter flashed, and the dial spun. A rectangle of green light shone around it, and it morphed into a D-3 digivice.<br>"Come on!" he gestured to Jason. "The other one is yours!"  
>Jason nodded. He bent down and yanked the other egg from its place. The energy flashed in a brilliant golden light, and the egg lay perfectly in his hands.<p>

Dallas turned. "Now, let's do this!" the beam of light lanced out once more, revitalizing Lepumon. The same happened with Patamon, and the four were ready.

Dallas marched out of the temple, debris and ice and shards of bone falling around him. "Forces of evil! I bring you the bane to your existance! The light to your darkness! The power of Stability! Digi-Armor Energize!"

ARMOR DIGIVOLUTION ONLINE

"Lepumon, Armor Digivolve to..."  
>Several shadowed images of robed figures flashed across the view. Gears and metal plating grew around Lepumon's form, becoming large and boxlike. Wheels appeared, and pistons sprouted. The symbol of Stability, the rectangle balancing atop the triangle, resembling some sort of balance or scale, appeared on the side of the armor.<br>"Trailmon! The Rail of Stability!" he called. Lepumon had become a C-89 Model Trailmon. He had a bullet-like head which was split into yellow on the bottom and grey-blue on the top. This blue seemed to be the general coloration of its body, which was covered with the same pistons and rivulets as its Digi-Egg. In addition, twin turrets sat on either side of its head, able to retract into compartments further back.  
>Dallas pulled out his digivice. "That's Trailmon, the Armor Warrior of Stability. There are many different designs for this Champion Digimon, but its extendable turrets will give the foe an extra surprise. It posesses both fire and ice powers with its frosty Cool Running attack, and its volatile Emergency Spark attack!"<br>"Cool Running!" Trailmon called. Its turrets extended and it fired a freezing shot which managed to hit Ogremon dead-on, freezing him solid.  
>"Crimson Claw!" Devidramon growled. He leapt forward in an attempt to slash Trailmon apart.<br>"Rivet Kikanjuu!" Trailmon cried. Devidramon hissed as metal bolts fired from the turrets, stinging his flesh. He backed away once more.  
>"Emergency Spark!" Trailmon finished. Twin bolts of fire launched from his turrets, driving the enemy back, and melting Ogremon's prison.<br>"Retreat!" Devidramon called. "He's just going to make himself a nuisance and weaken us if we keep this up! We must find the gate and destroy it!"  
>"Not gonna happen!" Jason called. "I call on the power of the celestial one, the overseer of the universe! I summon the power of Hope! Digi-Armor Energize!"<p>

ARMOR DIGIVOLUTION ONLINE

"Patamon, Armor Digivolve to..."  
>The sillouettes of Angemon and several other Angel Digimon crossed the screen. Patamon's form was surrounded by golden armor, linking together to form the shape of a majestic equine figure, but this one grew large flamboyant wings.<br>"Pegasusmon! The Wing of Hope!" he called.  
>(AN: That probably wasn't what the original Pegasusmon said, but I couldn't find the clip anywhere)<br>Jason pulled out his digivice. "That's Pegasusmon, one of the ancient Armor-level Digimon. He's often reffered to as the 'Herald of Angels' and his Equius Beam is powerful enough to cleanse any darkness!"  
>"Equius Beam!" Pegasusmon launched a giant green ray from his forehead. It struck Devidramon with explosive force, sending him flying backwards.<br>"Get out of here!" Devidramon called to the others. "I can hold back a winged pony and a train! Get to the gate!" IceDevimon motioned for the others to follow him, and they fled the scene.  
>Now, it was only Devidramon against the two Armor Digimon. He growled. "You my think you can stop us, but you will never leave this dimension!"<br>"We'll see about that!"  
>Devidramon turned in surprise to see AU Dallas limping into view. Behind him stood the azure form of his Phasedramon.<br>"You're nothing but a bully" AU growled. "But Lepumon and I are the most powerful fighters in this universe! We can defeat a Champion like you!"  
>Devidramon roared with laughter. "The most powerful? You can barely stand! I could knock you down with a single breath!"<br>AU Dallas raised his digivice, along with a small blue card. "We'll see about that." He swiped the card.

PERFECT DIGIVOLUTION ONLINE

"Phasedramon, digivolve to..." Power coursed through the area as a wall of water surrounded Phasedramon, causing it to grow larger, its wing folded up against its back, and webbing formed between its claws.  
>"MizuPhasedramon!" The new form growled. Sapphire scales coated the creature before them like armor. Orange eyes burned into its foes as rippling muscles pulsed. In place of the horns of Phasedramon, it now sported four long, tentacle-like apendages streaming from its head.<br>Dallas pulled out his digivice in wonder. "That's MizuPhasedramon, the Ultimate stage of Lepumon's Data Line. This powerful Digimon is completely at home in the water, barely ever using its wings. Its Mizu Cannon will wash foes away, and its Arial Neptune rains down blasts of water the temperature of lava! When all of that isn't enough, it uses its galvanic Poseidon's Fury attack to mow down the enemy!"  
>"Mizu Cannon!" MizuPhasedramon roared. It launched a jet of superheated water at Devidramon, who was barely able to avoid the blast.<br>"Too late, human" Devidramon growled. "Nothing you can do will stop us from sealing the gate on you two! You've already lost!"  
>Angrilly, MizuPhasedramon turned to its companions. "Quickly! Both of you must fire your attacks toward me!" He spread his great wings, lifting into the air. "Now!"<br>"Rivet Kikanjuu!"  
>"Equius Beam!"<br>MizuPhasedramon absorbed the attacks in a cloud of superheated steam. He turned toward the receeding figure of Devidramon.  
>"Arial Neptune!" He called. Opening his mouth, he began to launch super-heated jets of water, further enhanced by the two attacks. Countless scalding blasts rained down, and one was finally able to hit Devidramon, who spiraled down out of sight.<br>MizuPhasedramon cursed. "He was too far away. That shot wouldn't have killed him."  
>"It's alright" AU Dallas calmed his partner as he came down and reverted to his Rookie form. "At least we know they don't have on piece of the puzzle."<br>"What's that?" Dallas asked as he arrived.  
>"The Ultimate Energy spoken of in the prophecy refers to an attack from a considerably powerful Ultimate-level Digimon." AU chuckled. "And their Digimon can only become Champions!"<br>The group shared a laugh. Then Dallas became serious.  
>"Dallas, well other Dallas or whatever, I want to learn from you. I want Lepumon to be able to digivolve to Ultimate."<br>AU shrugged. "I suppose I could help. We can train as soon as we get to the Temple of Dimensions where the Tempia Stone is."  
>"But how will we get there?" Jason asked. "The prophecy talks about a 'Rail of Light', and I'm guessing it means a train rail."<br>"Except, Trailmon needs to be on a rail to start with, otherwise he can't move!"  
>Trailmon snorted. "Who ever said that?" He grunted, and a green beam of light shot out before him. The line continued behind him, and he was hoisted up onto a track made of pure light.<br>"There's a 'rail of light' for you, so hop aboard! One ride to the Temple of Dimensions, coming right up!" Trailmon chuckled.  
>The group happily piled onto the train Digimon, and they took off toward the sky.<p>

**AN: Yes, I finished this chapter at last! Thank Pi for Spring Break!**  
><strong>Nice to see that y'all are still around. I'm sorry if this chapter got a bit strange, but it's all important. Somehow...<strong>

**So there you have it. Yes, Devidramon is actually Tsukaimon's only digivolution according to canon material. Plus, it was the best evolution line for the creation of... Never mind.**  
><strong>So now You've seen Lepumon's Ultimate form... kind-of. Rest assured, despite this form being cool, it's not our favorite brown hero's own evolution. Personally, I think you'll like the Vaccine one better.<strong>

**Finally, yes, there are three different forms of Lepumon. I don't think the Virus form will be making an appearance in this story, but who knows?**

**Concluding an excessively long Author's Note, please review! Every reading counts!**

**Now, for a new addition: Fun facts!**  
><strong>-Dallas had nothing to do with the Lost Warriors until chapter four of this story. The golden sphere he recieved was to be the Digi-Egg of Stability.<strong>  
><strong>-The Lost Warriors weren't set to make an actual debut in this story. Instead, they were part of a separate story which has since been incorporated into the guture of this storyline.<strong>  
><strong>-Trailmon has nothing to do with Lepumon, but everything to do with the plot. Especially in the second arc. His technique, Rivet Kikanjuu literally translates to "Rivet Machine Gun".<strong>  
><strong>-Patamon will never become Pegasusmon again.<strong>

**And finally, your preview:**  
><strong>Chapter Nine: The Ultimate Goal!<strong>  
><strong>Lost in another dimension, Dallas and Jason must now protect the fabled Tempia Stone while Dallas is taught of the power of the Ultimate level. But when Tsukaimon threatens the safety of the entire dimension, will Dallas make a rash decision?<strong>

**Even Fire and Ice have a Dark side...**


	9. The Ultimate Goal!

**Okay, I know that this story is going a bit fast-paced, and the characters are all evolving quickly, but don't worry. After this point, it will go much slower, and I'll have a few chapters for relaxation/humor stuff. Can't keep the gang on their toes the whole time!**  
><strong>So here's your chapter, I guess.<strong>

**Chapter Nine: The Ultimate Goal!**

` Dallas sat atop Trailmon, waiting as patiently as he could for the Machine Digimon to make its way along the energy rail they rode.  
>` "Trailmon?" He asked.<br>` "Yes, Dallas?"  
>` "Are we there yet?"<br>` "No."  
>` "Okay"<br>` Dallas swung his legs back and forth, feeling the breeze as it whipped through his hair. It really was beautiful up here. When he was flying on Phasedramon, things were much faster-paced. But now they chugged along as though they were riding a cloud.  
>` "Trailmon?"<br>` "Yes, Dallas?" Trailmon asked with a bit of exhasperation.  
>` "Do you think your Ultimate form will be the same as the other Lepumon's?"<br>` "I hope not."  
>` "Why?"<br>` "Because I'm not really into swimming and water-type things like that."  
>` "But you blow magic bubbles."<br>` "That's different."  
>` "How so?"<br>` Trailmon gave an obvious sigh of annoyance. "It just is, okay? What's with all the questioning, anyway? You don't sound like yourself."  
>` "I don't know" Dallas replied. "I guess this all just seems so surreal to me."<br>` "This dimension, or the Digital World in general?"  
>` "Exactly."<br>` Trailmon sighed once more. "Maybe you should go sit with the others. That might help calm your nerves."  
>` "Good idea, I guess" Dallas nodded. He slipped down a metal hatch and returned to the compartment where the others sat.<br>` "Ah, Dallas" Jason greeted. "Other Dallas and I were just making plans about what we're going to do when we reach the temple."  
>` Dallas sat down with them, noting that Patamon and D Lepumon were playing some kind of game on paper. "Well, clue me in."<br>` AU sat up from scribbling on a piece of paper. "Well, as soon as we've all rested up a bit at the temple, we'll start the training regime. You and Lepumon will train against us, and I will be planning different excercises to help you."  
>` "That's it?" Dallas asked. "No special power sources, no chance events? We just do some training and Lepumon can go Ultimate?"<br>` AU nodded. "With the bond you two share, I doubt you need anything else. We'll take a day to rest, and we'll begin the training at six tomorrow morning."  
>` "Tomorrow?" Dallas complained. "That might give Tsukaimon time to find an Ultimate to open the gate himself!"<br>` "Nonsense" AU shook his head.  
>` "We figure that since Tsukaimon is from another dimension, his reputation will mean nothing in this world. It'll be difficult for him to even enlist Rookies to his cause, much less an Ultimate." Jason laughed. "So we could have as long as a month for your training!"<br>` Dallas frowned. "It still seems like a risk I don't want to take..."  
>` "Spoken like a true warrior, always expecting the worst so you wont be surprised if it happens" AU nodded. "But I really think Jason's got the right idea here. Your worries are irrational."<br>` Dallas nodded. "I guess that makes sense. I just feel like a huge bundle of nerves right now. I even started to bug Trailmon so much he sent me back here!"  
>` AU put a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry. You'll be back in your dimension before you know it!"<p>

` At that moment, the speakers went on, and the others could hear Trailmon's voice.  
>` "Folks, we'd like to inform you that we are approaching the Temple of Dimensions. At this time, we reccomend that you stow all personal belongings, as we may feel a bit of shaking as I figure out how to land this thing. Thank you for riding Air Trailmon, and we hope to see you in one piece at the Temple of Dimensions."<br>` The three looked at each-other, then immediately began to search the benches for seatbelts. Too late, Trailmon came to a rought landing on rocks, jostling both Tamers and Digimon from their seats. When the movement stopped, Trailmon reverted into Lepumon.  
>` "Wow" he panted. "Staying in digivolved form for so long is pretty tiring."<br>` He turned to see the others lying on the ground gasping for breath. "Oops. I guess I'm not very good at this yet."  
>` "It's fine" Dallas nodded, making sure his arm wasn't broken. "You'll get used to it. Probably."<br>` Jason straightened up and inspected the area. They appeared to be on a huge stone platform held up by some unknown force. In the center, a large tower rose up into the sky. It resembled an egyptian obelisk, four walls reaching up to the sky. Near the top, it tapered off into a sharp point, where a faint purple glow shone.  
>` "We made it, though" Jason pointed out to the others.<br>` "Yep" AU nodded. "This is definitely the temple."  
>` "It's so tall!" Patamon marveled. "How can people not notice it?"<br>` "They say there is really only one Temple of Dimensions, and it floats in the ocean somewhere. The Tempia Stone anchors it in the same spot in every dimension, but from below it just looks like air." D Lepumon replied.  
>` "Then flying Digimon could still see it, right?" Dallas's Lepumon guessed.<br>` "Not at all" AU Dallas shook his head. "We're so high up that any other Digimon wouldn't be able to use the thin air to fly. The pushing of their wings against the air renerates lift, so if it's too thin, they fall. That's why you have to use the Rail of Light, or else you'd fall. It's also the reason why birds on earth can't fly into space or anything like that."  
>` "I thought you didn't know anything about this place" Jason pointed out.<br>` "I'm just making assumptions" AU Dallas explained. "Normally, we wouldn't be able to breathe here either, but since the temple exists in a pocket dimension, it uses its own air, even if the space around it doesn't." He inhaled deeply. "We're breathing the air of another dimension. How does it feel?"  
>` "Umm... airy?" Patamon guessed. AU facepalmed.<br>` Jason noticed Dallas standing off to the side, staring at his digivice. "Dallas? What are you doing?"  
>` Dallas turned. "Ever since Lepumon reverted to normal, my digivice's screen is going all weird." he showed Jason the screen, where rows of pulsating lights were flashing. "I think it's trying to process the Digi-egg being inside it."<br>` Jason pulled out his own digivice and saw the same thing. Suddenly, the lights stopped, and an electronic voice issued from it.  
>"Alternate dimension evolution method accepted" the voice informed him. "Digivolution has been synchronized."<br>` "The Digi-Eggs must have allowed our digivices to adjust to this dimension" Dallas decided. "That must mean our Digimon can digivolve to Champion again!"  
>` The two cheered, moving back over to the others. AU Dallas was checking his pack for all their inventory.<br>` "I say we go explore the temple before we train, to make sure we can properly defend the temple if needed." AU Dallas informed the others. They nodded in agreement. AU packed away everything he'd gotten out, and the group took off toward the temple.

-X-

` "This place sure is tall" Lepumon puffed. "We must have gone up a zillion stairs by now!"  
>` "Lepumon, we're only on the third floor" Dallas pointed out.<br>` Lepumon gaped at him. "Will the torture never end?"  
>` D Lepumon laughed. "C'mon, brother. It's not that bad."<br>` Lepumon tripped over a candlestick lying on the ground. "Well I hate the stairs so much, I just want to float up in a little bubble and never have to climb them again."  
>` The humans ignored Lepumon's griping, looking around in awe at the new room. The stairs were designed so that each room had to be crossed before reaching the next set.<br>` "I feel like we should be praying or something" Jason noted. "Or at least being quiet. It IS a temple, after all."  
>` "But it's a Digimon temple" Dallas pointed out. "So I think we're exempt."<br>` They hit the next set of stairs, and Lepumon let out a groan of protest.  
>` "That's it" he clamored "The next window we reach, I'm jumping out. Have fun walking up this monster of a tower."<br>` "You're so lazy" Dallas joked.  
>` "Me?" Lepumon cried in fake shock. "You're the one who always wants to just fly everywhere! On MY back, by the way. I flew you guys a good 'hundred miles once!"<br>` "But only because we were being chased by an evil slaver's one loyal subject" Dallas retorted. "Plus, you're, like, the fastest thing in the sky! It only took us thirty minutes!"  
>` "That's it" Lepumon growled, reaching a window. "You're coming with me!" He bounced onto the ledge, grabbed Dallas by the hood of his jacket, and they both tumbled out the window.<br>` "Dallas!" Jason cried in shock. He rushed to the gap just in time to see partner and Digimon floating upward within a giant blue bubble.  
>` "Have a nice climb!" Lepumon called.<br>` AU and Jason just stared for a moment. Patamon leapt onto Jason's head and declared "That's my idea of travel. I'm goming too!" He leapt out, pushing his way into the bubble.  
>` Jason, not to be left out, leapt after Patamon. He barely made it as the bubble floated up out of sight.<p>

` AU looked down at his partner, then at the stairs. They were just above the third floor, and the tower went up for miles.  
>` "Crud" he muttered, before returning to the climb.<p>

-X-

` Dallas had just woken up from his four-hour nap when he heard the ragged panting of the two partners cresting the last step.  
>` "We...made it..." AU puffed. "It took all morning, but we made it!"<br>` "Did you have a nice climb?" Dallas asked mockingly. AU's only reply was to slam his fist into his look-alike's face. The poor boy shrieked as he collapsed.  
>` "He's my double" AU explained to a stunned Jason. "So I have no regrets."<br>` Jason shrugged. "Whatever. Maybe you can help me make sense of this door instead of falling asleep like a dead yam."  
>` "That's a horrible simile" Dallas growled, trying to stem the flow of blood from his nose. "Everyone knows I'm much more charismatic than a yam."<br>` "But your looks are about the same" Jason retorted.  
>` AU was not listening to their argument. He was gazing at the top landing. A huge construct resembling an amphitheater was a few yards away, descending down steps until reaching a pedastal in the middle. On either side of said pedastal were two giant quartz double-pyramids balanced on their tips (imagine two pyramids with their square faces glued together).<br>` "I'm guessing that we're supposed to do something here to to get up there-" AU pointed toward the purple sphere in the sky "-where the Tempia Stone is. But what's the trick?"  
>` "Those rocks look like they might help" D Lepumon noted, looking up at the crystal structures. "They kinda look like prisms."<br>` AU grinned. "And prisms reflect light!"  
># "So then it stands to reason..." Jason added, walking over to the prisms "...That if we shoot beams of light through each one, something will happen!"<br>` "Alright" Dallas pulled out his digivice. "Patamon and I each have forms that can use light-based attacks. Let's do this!"

DIGIVOLUTION/SPIRIT EVOLUTION ONLINE #  
>` "Patamon, Digivolve to... Angemon!"<br>` "Execute, Spirit Evolution! Djinnmon!"  
>` The two Digimon landed in a cloud of data. AU Dallas looked on, surprised.<br>` "I can't do that" he noted, gazing at Djinnmon.  
>` "Let's do this!" Angemon declared, flying over to one of the prisms."Hand of Fate!" The beam of light shot forth, hitting the prism and flashind across the way. It hit the second pedestal with no apparent effect.<br>` "We have to fire at the same time" Djinnmon decided. He prepared his sword, charging it with energy. "Shooting Star!" he fired a brillian star-shaped beam from his sword.  
>` "Hand of Fate!" The light beam raced toward it.<br>` The two techniques met dead-center. Immediately, the prisms lit up, sustaining the beams on their own.  
>` Between said beams, the area above the pedestal began to flash. A violet light came down from the sphere above, turning the contact point a deep violet. Finally, this formed into the shape of a doorway.<br>` "That's a pretty awesome way to open a door." Lepumon noted.  
>` Djinnmon chuckled as he became Dallas again. "You said it! But I feel like I just dug a tunnel to Mars, that was so exhausting!"<br>` Jason frowned. "But you've been sleeping all morning."  
>` Dallas waved a hand in dismisal. "How about you go chech things out, Jason. I'll stay here for a minute, and other me will keep me company."<br>` Jason shrugged. "Alright. If you wanna give up your chance to be first to see the Tempia Stone, be my guest." He turned and stepped through the portal, all the Digimon following him.  
>` AU sat down next to his lookalike. "Patamon didn't look tired at all, so what's up with you?"<br>` Dallas frowned. "I lied. I need to ask you something in private."  
>` AU frowned. "Alright, if it's so secret that your best friend can't hear, then ask whatever you need to."<br>` Dallas took a deep breath. "Is my father still alive in this dimension?"  
>` AU froze up. "Not that question, Dallas. That's the one thing I can't answer."<br>` "So you don't know" Dallas deduced.  
>` AU shook his head. "I know. I know exactly whether he's dead or alive. But I'm not the one who can answer that question."<br>` "Please" Dallas begged. "I need to know."  
>` AU frowned. "Time and Space are confusing things. What happens in one world could come five years later in another."<br>` "Alternate Realities" Dallas nodded. "Infinite as grains of sand on the beach. Just like Mr. Matsuki explained."  
>` AU stood up. "I'm sorry I can't tell you, Dallas. But you must figure this one out on your own. There is an order to things."<br>` Dallas nodded. "I understand. Thank you." He turned to the doorway. "So, what say we take a look at a magic rock?"  
>` AU smirked. "It's not magic. It's a disturbance created due to quantum anomalies within the stone, creating a ripple in the dimensions and forming a bridge to where you want to go."<br>` Dallas simply stared. "I didn't understand a word you just said."  
>AU just laughed. "Let's go."<p>

-X-

` Tsukaimon was easilly angered. Even HE would admit that. Despite trying to act cool and calculating, some things really made him mad.  
>` Things such as the Orochimon sitting before him.<br>` "Whaddya mean nobody is going to help me?!" He demanded. "I am a member of the Dark Legions, servant of the great Lord of Wrath. You can't just say nobody will listen!"  
>` Orochimon's multiple snake heads seemed close to boredom as he waited for the Rookie to finish his rant. "You may think you're some big important general in your world, but here nobody has even heard of the Dark Legions. Trying to coerce others into helping you by saying you're a member of an organization that doesn't exist isn't exactly the right tactic."<br>` "But it DOES exist!" Tsukaimon insisted.  
>` "And I believe you" Orochimon replied. "There are many things in the Digital World that its inhabitants do not understand. But I am not like the others. I am not even from this world."<br>` Tsukaimon frowned. "What exactly are you implying?"  
>` "I'm saying that I came here from a different dimension. Your dimension, in fact. I am one of the few people on the planet who know of your little empire."<br>` Impmon smirked from a nearby corner. "So if you believe us, why don't you help us get to that temple? You're an Ultimate, and we could definitely use your help."  
>` "It's not that simple" Orochimon insisted. "I may be able to help, but first you need a way to get to the temple in the first place. I know of its location, but there is only one way we can get to it-space travel."<br>` Tsukaimon took a second to process this, then groaned. "Aw crud! They're still around in this universe?"  
>` "Who?" Goblimon asked.<br>` "The Starmon Corps" Tsukaimon replied. "They're an annoying group of Digimon who love music and attention. They also happen to be the only group I know of that has the capabilities of space travel."  
>` "So we just ask them to take us to the temple and we're home free." DemiDevimon remarked.<br>` "It's not that simple" Tsukaimon said. "The Starmon, by nature of their namesakes, emit powerful auras of light, and I can't stand to be around their power!"  
>` "That's going to be a problem" Impmon nodded. "The four of us are dark Digimon, so we'll become weak if we get close to them."<br>` "Then we'll have to bargain for one of their ships" Orochimon input. "And they'll be sending their strongest warrior for a duel before they give it up. The Starmon are extremely possessive, so they wont accept any sort of payment. Trial by combat is their only way."  
>` "Then we'll be ready" Goblimon growled. "And we'll beat that guy into a pulp!"<br>` Tsukaimon nodded. "Oh, we'll beat him. But once whoever it is is unconscious and no longer emiting their light aura, they may still be useful." He nodded to Orochimon. "You've got yourself a deal."

-X-

` The Tempia Stone really was the most beautiful thing Dallas had ever seen. It sat eight feet tall and was shaped like a perfect quartz crystal. It was a deep shade of purple, seeming to have infinite depth. Dallas stared into it and could see the universe.  
>` "Careful" AU Dallas warned. "There are stories of people going insane if they stare into the stone hard enough. It's so powerful that you can see entire universes inside."<br>` Dallas quickly averted his eyes. The mesmerizing surface did indeed feel like it contained universes. Mr. Matsuki would have loved to see this. "Got it. Don't stare at the crystal unless you want to explode like in Indiana Jones."  
>` "That was a horrible movie" AU declared. "How do aliens have anything to do with ancient relics?"<br>` "What are you two blabbering about?" Jason asked, walking over with the Digimon.  
>` "Nothing important" Dallas replied. "So we're here. What now?"<br>` AU looked around the area. They were in an open area which contained only the Tempia Stone. The room was quite large, easilly extending 100 feet in any direction, then dropped off into space.  
>` "You know, we could probably do all of your training up here if we wanted." He commented. "There's plenty of space to work with, and we should be able to set up a decent camp. Plus, Tsukaimon's team can't possibly open the door on their own, since none of them is holy species. We'd only have to open it from this end."<br>` Patamon grinned. "Sounds great, but I'm super hungry now. Let's eat!"

` The group brought out the supplies they had. Most of it was AU Dallas', since the other two hadn't restocked their supplies since they'd left Clock City.  
>` Regardless, strange and exotic plants which tasted like strawberries were consumed, along with a variety of Meat apples. This was washed down with flasks of Digiberry cordial which AU had saved for a special occasion.<br>` "I think that meeting myself and seeing this place qualifies as a special occasion" He confided in Dallas.  
>` Soon, the group became tired. They all settled down, the humans in sleeping bags, the two Lepumon laying by the still-warm embers of the fire, and Patamon stretched out on Jason's face. None of them could have expected what was about to happen.<p>

-X-

` "You've got a lotta nerve coming here" SemiStarmon growled at Orochimon. "Do you really think the boss is just gonna give you a ship to use? Don't make me laugh!"  
>` Orochimon stood-or rather, coiled-firm. "Let me speak to him. I'll make the arrangements."<br>` "Alright. Your funeral" SemiStarmon sighed in annoyance. "Yo, Justimon! This guy demands to speak to you!"  
>` A shadow appeared in the doorway, before a tall Digimon stepped through. He was mostly humanoid, but had sharp clawed hands and a dragon-like head. Around his neck was a long scarve that whipped in the chilly wind outside the Starmon Corps.<br>` "Listen here, Orochimon" Justimon spoke, his voice causing a shiver to run through the beast Digimon. "You want one of our ships, and it's obviously for some dark purpose-"  
>` "I'm insulted!" Orochimon declared. "What angry purpose could I have? I have always been at peace with your people."<br>` Justimon was not amused. "You fell from the sky and started destroying everything in sight a year ago."  
>` "A minor bit of confusion" Orochimon insisted. "I had been separated from my home and was confused. It could have happened to anyone!"<br>` "You had scars all over your body, as though you had just been fighting."  
>` "Protecting my territory only" Orochimon held firm.<br>` "And this was around the time that Tamer boy started taking out all the dark Digimon. Plus, you've never told us exactly where you came from in the first place."  
>` Orochimon growled. "This is pointless. I impose no ill will against your people, so why wont you help me?"<br>` "That isn't our way" Justimon shook his head. "You wont let us take you personally, because your "passengers" cannot stand our auras. Therefore, you must win the rights to posess one of our ships through trial my combat."  
>` Orochimon nodded. "I understand that. So let's get on with it then!"<br>` "Our champion is otherwise involved, and it is well after nightfall. You will duel in the morning."  
>` Orochimon gave a sigh. "Fine. Send your champion to Lowpoint Peak with the ship tomorrow. I'll wait there for him."<br>` "Very well." Justimon nodded. "But if you're planning anything, or I'm given the slightest reason not to trust you, I assure you that I will personally see that you are destroyed."  
>` Orochimon shuddered. "I get the picture." With that, he slithered back into the hills.<p>

-X-

` At the top of a distant hill, two warriors prepared to battle. One was a silvery Digimon shaped roughly like a guitar pick with arms. The other resembled a high-tech grey gear floating in the air.  
>` "And so we meet again" Pickmon grinned. "My eternal rival, this will be our greatest battle yet."<br>` KoHagurumon yawned "That's what you say every time, Pickmon. And yet you have yet to truly defeat me."  
>` Pickmon grew angry, straightening his black glasses. "I defeated you the last time we met!"<br>` "That was a draw" KoHagurumon shook his head. "I will not wield this time."  
>` "So we begin then" Pickmon grinned. Suddenly, he launched forward, preparing to impale KoHagurumon.<br>` "Pico Gear!" KoHagurumon declared, launching a small blue gear at his foe. Pickmon took the hit at the tip of his point, causing a small explosion. Stalwart, he continued on to strike KoHagurumon.  
>` "You can't defeat me!" Pickmon cried.<br>` "We'll see!" KoHagurumon jumped into the air, collecting light around his form. "KoHagurumon, digivolve to..." Metal clanked on metal as the gear Digimon grew, sprouting two new cogs to use as arms. "Hagurumon!"  
>` Pickmon stared at his rival, who was now composed of three gears, the central one bearing his face. "Big deal. I've got enough power to rival that easilly."<br>` "Then how about you back those words up, if you can." Hagurumon grinned and launched a gear at Pickmon, who leapt out of the way.  
>` "Fine! Pickmon digivolve to..." Pickmon exploded with energy, taking on a golden hue and becoming a five-pointed shape. "SemiStarmon!"<br>` "Alright. Now tihs is interesting! Cog Crusher!" Hagurumon launched more gears at his newly evolved foe.  
>` "Meteor Squall!" SemiStarmon summoned down bolts of light, destroying the gears in quick succession. "Is that the best you can do?"<br>` Hagurumon launched more gears, each one flying faster than the last. SemiStarmon barely avoided each one, until a lucky shot took him in the side. He spiraled backwards, crashing into a boulder.  
>` "We both know who's going to win this fight" Hagurumon stated. "Give up already!"<br>` SemiStarmon shook his head. "I've got one final trick up my sleeve, which I've been saving for just this occasion." He leapt into the air and began to shine again.  
>` "No way!" Hagurumon muttered. "He can't be that strong already!"<br>` "SemiStarmon digivolve to..." another five pointed shape attached to the back of SemiStarmon, then began to spin and create propulsion. He grew larger as he rocketed around, light trailing behind him. "ShootingStarmon!"  
>` "Wishing Impact!" ShootingStarmon rocketed toward Hagurumon, blasting him backward with his cosmic aura. The attack was so powerful that Hagurumon abruptly reverted into a Digi-Egg.<br>` "Crap" ShootingStarmon muttered. "Didn't mean to do that."  
>` The egg began to float away, slowly at first, but then gaining speed.<br>` "I'd better follow it" ShootingStarmon decided. "I'd hate to be rubbing this in his face while he can't even remember it."  
>` With that, he raced off after his incapacitated rival.<p>

-X-

` "The first thing any good Tamer needs to learn is that you wont always have your partner to help you out." AU explained. "If you get separated and aren't able to operate alone, it's pretty much curtains." He tossed a straight wooden rod to Dallas "So I want you to start out by showing me the self-defence you already know."  
>` Dallas nodded. He hefted the rod and dashed at AU. He gave his best karate cry and brought the stick down in an overhand swing. Before he even realized what was happening, AU shifted to the side, grabbed his wrist, and stuck out one foot. The result was Dallas flipping over onto his back, stunned.<br>` AU tossed the rod back to him, which had come loose from Dallas's grip during the botched attack. "I'll admit that was definitely enthusiastic, but there were several flaws in your technique."  
>` Dallas listened carefully, rubbing his bruised shin as he did so.<br>` "First of all, an all-out assault can be suicidal if your foe has his guard up. Going into a fight with your fists and not your head is the biggest mistake many people make.  
>` "Secondly, the battle cry may help you hype yourself up, and even intimidate some opponents. But like I said before, if your enemy is on par with your own skill level, doing this just makes you look stupid."<br>` Dallas blushed a bit. "I'll try to remember that."  
>` AU continued. "Remember; in a fight, gravity can either be your best friend or your worst enemy. If your foe is off-balance, it's that much easier to disarm and defeat them.<br>` "Likewise, if your foe is able to catch you stumbling, or throwing your weight around too much, they can turn your momentum into a weapon. Don't ever get caught tripping up in combat, or you could go down in an instant."  
>` Dallas nodded. "Got it. Avoid brute force, intimidation only works for the weaker foes, gravity can suck sometimes."<br>` AU grinned. "That's just how I would have replied. Now, shall we begin again?"

` Within an hour, the bruise on Dallas's shin seemed to be the least painful of his collection. AU knew his every weakness and maneuver, and was using them to his best advantage.  
>` "It's rare that you get to learn from yourself, because you can develop a totally different style than what you're used to. This means you totally cover your bases and can beat out those who try to extort your weaknesses." AU told him.<br>` And it was true. As time went by, Dallas was starting to realize that AU's every technique was his own, only sharpened and honed to glisten. Soon, both fighters had an array of bruises, and Dallas could anticipate nearly every move AU pulled.  
>` "It's almost like knowing what your enemy will do next" AU replied when Dallas brought it up. "You know what you would do, which in turn lets you know what I'll do. But I can turn this to my advantage by either varying from what feels natural just to trip you up."<br>` A lot of the more technical bits sailed right over Dallas's head, but he got the basics. It reached the point that not even AU's mixed tactics could throw him. By the time they broke for lunch, Dallas was totally drenched, yet felt like he could take out an army.  
>` He looked over from his meal to see Jason engaged in his own training, and began to listen in.<p>

` "True strength doesn't come from power alone. It comes through skill and adaptability. You could pound at the top of a pillar all day long and barely leave a dent, or you could hit it from the side and break it much easier."  
>` Jason tried to keep up. Angemon was trying to teach him about adaptation: being able to react to almost any situation. So far, he was having trouble grasping the idea.<br>` Angemon sighed. "Think of it this way: If a man is holding out a shield, and you only try to attack from the front, what happens?"  
>` "You can't do much" Jason replied "The shield is strong and hard to get through."<br>` "Precisely" Angemon nodded, glad that Jason was starting to understand. "So how would you get around this problem? How do you adapt to the situation?"  
>` Jason was quick to answer. "I guess you'd have to get around the shield. You could attack from behind, or at least from the sides. That would let you attack his vulnerable points better."<br>` "If you are fast enough" Angemon nodded. "But suppose your foe is much faster, or you're too slow to get around their defense?"  
>` "You could try to catch them, trip them up to get an opening. Or you could just hold them in place to pound 'em."<br>` Angemon nodded. "See, you need to be able to adapt to any scenario. If your enemy has dozens of weapons to attack with, the logical choice is to disable or avoid them. If they have a certain weak point which is only revealed at certain times, seize the chance when it comes!"  
>` "Like a boss in a videogame." Jason surmised. "They always have a weak spot, but you can only reach it some of the time."<br>` "That's the basic idea" Angemon nodded. "Now, let's get some target practice in." He gestured to a row of statues and miscelaneous items he'd found in the tower. "Each one of these has a weak spot somewhere. Your job is to find it and use it to defeat them."  
>He snapped his fingers and the first statue began to move.<br>` Jason gasped as the stone effigy of a club-wielding Digimon came toward him. He lifted his wooden rod and blocked a fast swing from the stone club. He searched over his opponent for a weakness, but found nothing. Dodging another swing, he dashed around behind the statue, where he noticed a bit of cracking around its back. Thinking quickly, he jabbed his rod into the crack, sending lines spiderwebbing across until the statue crumbled.  
>` "Good!" Angemon nodded. "Here comes the next one!"<p>

` "Now focus your power" D Lepumon ordered. "Make it flow through your body, filling every crevasse. The power must not be constricted in order for you to attain your optimal strength. When it fills you entirely, you will feel the change. You may start to feel lighter, stronger, more powerful. But it will also sap away your energy faster, so it's a good idea to fill yourself as quickly as you can before digivolution, and not afterwards."  
>` Lepumon nodded, trying to feel the flow of power. "I think there's something there. It's like my body is full of light..."<br>` "Good" D Lepumon nodded. "Now focus on the power, let it grow within you until it is ready to be released!"  
>` Lepumon screwed his eyes closed in concentration. His fur stood on end as he felt currents of energy pulse through him. "I feel it!"<br>` "Good! This is the key to digivolving to Ultimate. You must let your power flow, then push it outward as your partner invokes your power. The result is the ignition of your energy, pulsing so much power into you that you can exceed Champion form."  
>` Lepumon began to pant a bit. "I don't think I can do this much longer."<br>` "Go ahead and release it" D Lepumon nodded. "You did very well for your first time. We're done for now."  
>` "That's it?" Lepumon asked in surprise. "That's all the training you're giving me?"<br>` "You already posessed most of the qualities you needed: Determination, to do what you needed to. Strength, to exceed your boundaries. Skill, to allow you to fight. All that remained was finding the power within yourself."  
>` "Great" Lepumon grinned. "But what do I do now? I can't watch Dallas. He's being a bit boring right now."<br>` "Are you kidding?" D Lepumon asked. "This is the most important part!"

` "Like with many things, negative emotion can inhibit your partner's ability to digivolve" AU explained to Dallas, who was holding a meditative stance. "The concept of chi can explain and assist with this. In ancient cultures, humans were said to have chi flowing through them, which is how they understood the concept of blood. They believed that chi flows through your body, traveling through pools known as chakras. There are seven of these chakras found in the body, and each is essential in order for chi to flow. Each chakra is inhibited by a negative emotion. Resolving with these emotions allows your chi to flow. Incidentally, it's also what helps your Digimon achieve Ultimate level. Another name for the Ultimate level is Perfect. This means that your body and mind are in perfect harmony, allowing your energy to flow."  
>` "So you're going to teach me about digivolution using human methods?" Dallas confirmed.<br>` AU nodded. "You'd be surprised how often digital concepts and human concepts coincide. But back to my explaination.  
>` "There are seven main chakras in the body. I'll explain from the top, then we'll work our way back up.<br>` "Starting from the top, there is the Sahasrara, or Crown Chakra. It is located at the crown of the head and deals with cosmic energy. It is blocked by worldly connections. Greed is a powerful force, and you must never delve into it. It is man's greed for worldly things that is his downfall.  
>` "The second chakra is the Ajna, or the Brow Chakra. This chakra deals with Insight, and is blocked by Pride. When we are prideful, we can lose sight of our goals, even lose our ability to reason.<br>` The Vishuddha, or Throat chakra is, well, in the throat. It deals with truth, and is blocked by lust. Lust is probably one of the most decieving things in the world. People want things, you know, and about four of the chakras actually deal with man's attraction to the world. Lust blocks out truth, because it is based solely around deception.  
>` "The Anahata, or Heart chakra deals with love-which is rather appropriate-and is blocked by envy. People love to be the center of everything, and they become envious when others are more important. Love is truly caring about others, not just thinking of yourself.<br>` "The fifth chakra is Manipura, or the Stomach chakra. It deals with willpower, and is blocked by sloth. If one does not have the will and determination to do something, they become slow, weak, and oblivious. Sloth is a great sin, only true willpower can ovecome it.  
>` "Next is Swadhisthana, the Sacrum chakra. It deals with pleasure, and is blocked by wrath. No man can enjoy what he has when he is vengeful and angry with the world. Only when you overcome wrath can you be at peace.<br>` "And finally, we have the Muladhara; the Root chakra. It is located at the base of the spine, and deals with survival. It is blocked by gluttony. When someone does finally get what they want, the worst thing they can do is fall into comfort with only that thing. Gluttony makes us forget that man's basic instinct in the world is to survive. If we forget that among our 'necessities' which aren't really necessary at all, we succumb to Gluttony."  
>` Dallas was silent for a moment after this long speech. "That's amazing. But it sounds familiar for some reason..."<br>` AU continued. "Even though the idea of chakras may seem a bit silly, the methods of resolving them will help you to unlock Ultimate Digivolution."  
>` Dallas nodded. "I'm ready to start."<br>` "Good" AU grinned. "Now clear your mind. It's time to begin."

-X-

` SuperStarmon stood on a hill evaluating his opponents. Below, there was Orochimon and four others talking together. Soon, they would notice him and the ship.  
>` Then the battle would begin.<p>

` "He's late" Tsukaimon noted, trying not to let SuperStarmon know he'd been seen.  
>` "Doesn't matter" Impmon sniffed. "Let's get this over with."<br>` "Alright" Orochimon turned. "SuperStarmon! We see you and are ready to do battle!"  
>` "As you wish, Orochimon" SuperStarmon nodded. "Haley Squall!"<br>` The unexpected attack streaked down in the form of blinding comets. Orochimon quickly dodged this as SuperStarmon rushed in for the attack.  
>` "Inferno Blast!" Orochimon launched a cloud of green fumes, surrounding SuperStarmon, who sniggered.<br>` "Is this the best you can do?" he demanded.  
>` "Nope" Orochimon smiled. One of his secondary mouths opened, and SuperStarmon saw a flame ignite inside.<br>` "Oh sh-"  
>` The cloud of alcoholic fumes ignited, sending waves of heat crashing into SuperStarmon. He crashed to the ground, and Tsukaimon grinned. "Now!"<br>` The four Rookies digivolved, quickly pouncing on the fallen star. all four, plus Orochimon, attacked together.  
>` "Icy Freeze!"<br>` Crimson Claw!"  
>` "Touch of Evil!"<br>` "Pummel Whack!"  
>` "Inferno Blast!"<br>` SuperStarmon couldn't take it. In a single combined blast, he collapsed into his Rookie form, SemiStarmon.  
>` "Get to the ship" Tsukaimon ordered. "We're going to the Temple of Dimensions."<p>

-X-

` Dallas looked around at all the things he feared. He saw the men who had taken his father away. He saw Mercurymon with ihs evil smile. He saw Wendigomon leering evilly down at him.  
>` "Concentrate" AU called from somewhere above. "The first chakra is the most versatile of the seven. It deals with Gluttony, but also with fear. In order to survive, you must overcome your fears. You fears collect around you like a shield, blocking you off from the power of survival. Gluttony forms from anything. You can have a collection of greatest fears or joys, anything that gives you a reason not to survive on your own. You must rid yourself of the things that collect around you in order to survive."<br>` The leering faces grew scared, and Dallas raised his staff from the earlier exercises. Without hesitation, he dashed forward and slammed the rod into each enemy, crushing them into smoke.  
>` "Good" AU congratulated. "Moving on. The Chakra of Pleasure, blockedby wrath. What do you have that makes you wrathful?"<br>` Dallas immediately thought of Mercurymon. He had hurt Lepumon and tried to kill them all. It was his fault Dallas was here in the first place.  
>` "You must accept that there are those in the world who will oppose what you think is right. You must accept that these people will stand against you, and not let it enflame your anger."<br>` Dallas nodded. Mercurymon's smile became a frown, and he too dissolved.  
>` "Good. Now for the third chakra: Willpower. What inhibits your willpower?"<br>` Dallas thought, and the images came once more.

-X-

` "We're getting close" Tsukaimon decided. "I can feel it."  
>` "The temple is within range." Orochimon nodded. "Prepare to attack."<p>

-X-

ShootingStarmon was running out of power, but he needed to follow the egg at any cost. It was rising higher, toward what appeared to be a floating island.  
>` "Where is KoHagurumon going?" He asked himself. No answer came, of course. The egg could not speak.<br>` Undeterred, he increased his speed. Unknowing about the future about to befall him.  
>` "...Pride can be a man's undoing if he allows it. It can uproot mountains and destroy cities. It can even destroy those we love. The opposite of Pride is Insight. Do not let your insight be clouded by what appears to be so."<br>` Dallas thought about his fights alongside Lepumon. Each time, he'd felt confident about winning, and it shocked him whenever he lost.  
>` "Losing is part of life, but if you believe you are invincible, then your pride swells, and not in a good way. Accept that defeat is still an possibility, and you will be filled with Insight."<br>` Dallas breathed and nodded. The visions dissolved again.  
>` "Now for the most difficult one of all-the Crown chakra this deals with cosmic energy, and is blocked by worldly attraction, or Greed. What things anchor you to the world?"<br>` Several things popped into Dallas's mind at once. "Jason, his best friend. Hannah, his sister. His mother, his friends, there were just so many things.  
>` And there was his father, beneath the belief that he would someday see him again.<br>` "This final chakra is the most difficult to accept, and in some cases impossible. Greed, worldly attarction, is the one thing that keeps us from rising up Heavenbound. To fully clear yourself of negative emoions, you must disengage yourself from all worldly pleasure."  
>` Dallas's eyes snapped open. "What? How can I just give up on everything and everyone?"<br>` "Worldly attarction is the hardest to give up, but it is the only way." AU's voice was stern. "You must give away your connections to the world!"  
>` Dallas struggled to perform this act, but it felt as if he were trying to move a mountain.<br>` "Dallas!" Jason called suddenly. "There's something big down there, and it's coming toward the tower!"  
>` AU cursed. "They're already here! Dallas, you must cast off your connection, now!"<br>` But Dallas was already acting. He stood and raced toward the edge, Lepumon trailing behind him. "We'll have to take care of this now!"  
>` "It's suicide!" AU called. "You can't best them!"<br>` Dallas ignored him, leaping straight out into space.

_SPIRIT EVOLUTION ONLINE_

` "Execute! Spirit Evolution!" Dallas scanned his fractal code and grew, becoming Djinnmon. He turned upright in his fall and pulled out his sword. "Exalted Wish! Air!"  
>` Light arced downward ahnd became a torrent of air, stopping his fall and leaving him standing before Orochimon.<br>` "Stupid boy" Orochimon growled. "It's time for your destruction!"

**END **

**` I appologize for my long absence, but I hope this titanic chapter makes up for it. I've been in Europe for the past month and couldn't post. So, yeah. I'm sorry.**  
><strong>` The next chapter will conclude this mini-arc. To be honest, I'm getting a bit tired of it.<strong>  
><strong>` Now, trivia time!<strong>  
><strong>*SemiStarmon is a fan-created name for Starmon 2010. He is considered a Rookie Digimon.<strong>  
><strong>*Lepumon's original design has been around since 2006 when I first read the Digimon Adventures manga. His original design was named Bunnymon, but he has not changed otherwise since the day I created him.<strong>  
><strong>*Hyokomon is the fastest-growing Digimon in the story thus far, going from Fresh to Super Ultimate in about ten chapters (spoiler).<strong>  
><strong>*The last part of Dallas's training is taken almost directly from Avatar: The Last Airbender. A few chakras were cut out due to time constraints.<strong>  
><strong>*Lepumon's original Ultimate Form was Warpdramon, whi could teleport anywhere at will, but was later replaced with his new Ultimate form.<strong>  
><strong>*Jason will not have to undergo the same training as Dallas for complex reasons which wont be fully explained for a while.<strong>  
><strong>*KoHagurumon is extremely important, but will never be seen in this story again after the next chapter.<strong>  
><strong>*Orochimon uses both the original and dub versions of his Inferno Blast attack. The original has him shooting out a cloud of sake (wine) to intoxicate foes. The dub changes it to a fire-based attack for obvious reasons.<strong>  
><strong>*Anybody notice something special about the seven "Fallen Emotions"?<strong>

**That's it! Here's a preview of the next chapter!**

**Chapter Ten: The Road Less Traveled By**

** After Dallas fails to unlock his Ultimate potential and suffers defeat, another way seems to be the only option. But can Dallas trust this new teacher?**

**Even Fire and Ice have a Dark side...**


	10. The Road Less Traveled By

Hey guys, I'm finally inspired to continue writing this story. Hope you didn't miss me too badly!

Chapter Ten: The Road Less Traveled By.

` Djinnmon glared at Orochimon, hoping to intimidate the giant snake. Unfortunately, the beast merely grinned at him.  
>` "Foolish human. Even as a Digimon, you have no hope of stopping us!" Orochimon cackled.<br>` Djinnmon's sword glinted in the purple light of the temple. "I've broken tougher opponents than you. And now it's time for you to fall!" he turned to Lepumon and realized something. "Hold on, if I'm a Digimon, I can't use the digivice, and Lepumon can't digivolve!" He groaned at the mistake.  
>` "All the better for us" Tsukaimon grinned. "You've been a thorn in my side ever since you defeated SkullGreymon, and I'll make you pay for it!" as he cackled, the light of digivolution encircled him, as with his three companions. In seconds, four Champions and an Ultimate stood before Djinnmon.<br>` "Bunny Bubble!" Lepumon cried, firing bubbles from his mouth. Orochimon didn't even flinch as they struck him. "Was that supposed to hurt? I could barely even feel it!"  
>` "Exalted Wish! Fire!" Djinnmon called, sending a flaming crescent at IceDevimon, who was trying to sneak up on him. "You guys don't intimidate us! We've beaten you before and we can do it again!"<br>` "But you've never had to deal with me!" Orochimon declared. "Inferno Blast!"  
>` Djinnmon ducked as the combination of fumes and flame filled the air above him. "Genie Impact!" he thrust his blade at Orochimon's head, doing almost nothing.<br>` "Fool" Orochimon hissed. "Accept your defeat!" His tail came out of nowhere, striking Djinnmon in the chest.  
>` "Dallas!" Lepumon cried. "Don't give up!"<br>` "It's no use" Djinnmon thought. "As long as I'm Djinnmon, Lepumon can't help at all!" Making a decision, he leapt back and reverted to himself.  
>` "Let's show them what we can really do!" Dallas declared. He pulled out one of the cards AU had given him and scanned it. "Digimodify! Speed activate!"<br>` Suddenly, Lepumon recieved a burst of speed, leaping over Devidramon's Crimson Claw attack and landing a Bunny Bubble attack on Ogremon. "Thanks Dallas, but I could use some extra firepower!"  
>` "Alright" Dallas declared, holding out his digivice. "Time to take this to the next level."<p>

DIGIVOLUTION ONLINE #  
>` "Lepumon digivolve to...Phasedramon!" the Digimon cried. Data wrapped around him, turning him into his stronger form. "Drago Beam!"<br>` Devimon jumped out of the way as the ensuing blast of energy nearly hit him. "Surely you can do better than that!"  
>` Dallas slashed another card. "Digimodify! Agunimon's Pyro Tornado activate!"<br>` "Pyro Tornado!" Phasedramon called, spinning forward. Flames surrounded him as he collided with Orochimon with a grunt.  
>` "You can't hope to defeat us with one Champion, no matter how many cards you have!" the hydra bellowed. "Inferno Blast!"<br>` "He's right" Dallas realized. "It's now or never, we have to digivolve to Ultimate right now!" He held up the digivice. "The other me said I had to cast off my physical attatchments to reach balance. Here's hoping it works." He concentrated on letting go of worldly attachments. He thought of Jason, his sister, and his mother. He thought of his father, whom he hadn't seen for years. With an enormous mental push, he shoved them out of his mind one by one.  
>` But then he came to Lepumon, the goofy little Digimon who he couldn't have known for much more than a month, yet felt like a brother to him. He tried to cast Lepumon out of his mind, and thoughts sprung up around him. He saw Lepumon without him. Lepumon holding off hordes of Digimon.<br>` Lepumon fighting. Lepumon losing.  
>` And then, in great horror, he saw Lepumon struck down, dissolving into data and absorbed by a giant shadow.<br>` "NO!" he screamed. The digivice dropped from his hand, the light that had begun to emanate from its screen going black. He held his head in his hands, gasping for breath.  
>` "I can't" he muttered. "I can't do it."<br>` "Dallas!" Phasedramon called. "Not that this isn't fun, but these guys aren't exactly weak. If you're going to make me digivolve, you have to do it now!"  
>` Dallas sunk to his knees and grabbed his digivice. "I can't, Phasedramon. I can't afford to lose you..." he frowned. "But I can still help you fight!" He stood once more.<br>` "Inferno Blast!"  
>` "Digimodfy! Power activate!"<br>` "Drago Beam!"  
>` "Touch of Darkness!"<br>` "Untouchable Strike!"  
>` "Digimodify! Harpymon's Wind Seeker activate!"<br>` "Wind Seeker!"  
>` "Inferno Blast!"<br>` "Crimson Claw!"  
>` "Pummel Whack!"<br>` It was no use. None of the Cards Dallas slashed were helping. Even with boosts of strength, speed, and extra attacks, Phasedramon was tiring. Slowly, the duo began to give ground.  
>` "It's useless!" Devidramon cried. "Crimson Claw!" He swept at both of them together, knowcking them away. The last thing Dallas saw before hitting the side of the temple was Phasedramon reverting into Lepumon. Then his head smashed into the stone wall and everything went dark.<p>

-X-

` "Dallas! C'mon, you'd better not be dead! If you're alive, could you let me know?"  
>` Dallas moaned a bit, trying to open his eyes. "Lepumon?"<br>` "He speaks!" Lepumon praised. "Thank goodness! I was starting to think you didn't make it."  
>` Dallas looked around bleary-eyed at an unfamiliar landscape. "Are we in some kind of cave?"<br>` "I think it's a tunnel" Lepumon replied. "After Devidramon knocked me out, I woke up here with you unconscious like a bag of rocks. I was going to explore the tunnel a bit, but I was afraid to leave you."  
>` "Lepumon" Dallas sighed. "I'm sorry that I failed you. I wanted to make you digivolve, but I couldn't cast off our friendship. It seems impossible for someone to stay that way all the time."<br>` "Maybe you only have to do it once and it works after that" Lepumon noted. "The other you and the other me look pretty attached to each-other."  
>` Dallas nodded. "But that doesn't change the fact that I couldn't abandon you. When I tried, I saw horrible things happening. I'm sorry."<br>` Lepumon put a comforting hand on his partner's shoulder. "Don't worry about that. If anything, you should come up with a plan to get us out of here. Those nasty Dark Legion guys could be at the top of the tower already!"  
>` Dallas shook his head. "They need Orochimon to activate the stone, and he and Ogremon can't fly. Plus, I doubt the others could carry them even if they tried. Orochimon will have to climb on his own. Jason can hold the others off, but if it took other me four hours to climb, it can't take Orochimon less than two."<br>` Lepumon sighed. "I was worried. That will hopefully give us time to find a way out of here."  
>` Dallas pointed down the tunnel. "I say we follow it this way. The tunnel can't go on forever, right?"<br>` Lepumon agreed, walking off down the tunnel contentedly. "Well? if we don't hurry, the others might think we're dead or something. Let's go!"  
>` Dallas followed him, looking at the walls every few seconds.<br>` "There are pictures of Digimon here" he noted. "It looks like they tell a story."  
>` "What kind of story?" Lepumon asked.<br>` Dallas studied the images as they walked. "They seem to be fighting some giant Digimon, who is destroying everything around him. Here, they're attacking it head-on, but you can tell they're getting creamed. Then here, they seem to be building some sort of chain.  
>` "In the last one, they're wrapping the chain around the big Digimon. I think it's trapping him" Dallas nodded. "They're sealing him underneath a tall building and placing a stone at the top."<br>` Lepumon stopped to look at the image. "Hey, isn't that the Temple of Dimensions?"  
>` Dallas scanned the image. "You're right! And this must be the Tempia Stone at the top." he pointed to the object. "It appears to be sealing the Digimon under the temple."<br>` "So this whole place is a giant prison for that monster" Lepumon concluded. "And the stone is draining his energy like a sponge!"  
>` "That must be why the temple can transport people between dimensions" Dallas realized. "It's being fueled by that Digimon, who must have some sort of power over dimensions."<br>` "The same way your friend Chronomon has power over time" a voice behind them stated. Both Dallas and Lepumon spun to see another Digimon standing there. The Digimon seemed to have a thin red body similar to power cables which was then covered by bulky white armor. It had claws, purple symbols on its armor, and a purple sphere set into its chest. The helmet it wore had twin spikes jutting out from the front, forming a V.  
>` "Who are you?" Dallas asked, suspiciously.<br>` "The Digimon spread his arms. "I am all that remains of that giant Digimon you see in the mural. My name is Parallelmon, and I was once the ruler of all dimensions."  
>` "Parallelmon?" Lepumon asked. "Then wouldn't that make you the bad guy?"<br>` Parallelmon shook his head. "I am no longer a threat to you or anyone. An eternity spent locked underneath an island can give you a lot of time to think. Besides, I'm so weak in this form that you could barely call me a Champion, much less the powerful Mega that I once was."  
>` Dallas nodded. "So you were sentanced to life in prison, but you have so much power that you can never die."<br>` Parallelmon nodded. "Plus, since my life force is linked to the capstone above us, I am held in eternal stasis, unable to eat, sleep, or age. Surprisingly, I haven't gone mad. Although I suppose I was already insane to start, hence I could only go to the other end of the scale."  
>` "That's horrible" Dallas remarked. "Trapped under here, endlessly awake since the beginning of time? I've heard of people being harsh, but no Digimon should have to force that on another. Who chose this fate for you?"<br>` Parallelmon thought. "Why, I believe the young warrior who trapped me was a Phasedramon."  
>` Lepumon gasped. "You mean that one of my great-great-however-many-greats grandpa locked you up? That's just wrong!"<br>` Parallelmon shrugged. "It is what I deserved. Besides, I have grown quite accustomed to this way of life. Even if I was given the chance, I believe I would remain here."  
>` "Wait, time out" Dallas held up a hand. "If you're the one who controls the different dimensions, why was it Chronomon's power that sent us here?"<br>` Parallelmon raised an eyebrow. "Chronomon controls time alone. The only way his power could send you here is if he triggered the Tempia Stone from your dimension."  
>` "But the stone is floating in the sky, not in Chronomon's temple" Lepumon noted. "So it had nothing to with Chronomon, did it?"<br>` Parallelmon nodded. "I don't know how you could have jumped dimensions so far from the stone, but it's not even in Chronomon's power to do so. Whatever sent you here did it for a reason."  
>` "Why?" Dallas asked. "Of all the places and possibilities, why would something bring us to this exact place at this exact time?"<br>` Nobody spoke for a moment, until Lepumon had an idea. "Maybe something important is supposed to happen here. I mean, we were chosen by the Digi-eggs, and you're learning to digivolve me to Ultimate. Maybe we had to do all that here."  
>` "No" Parallelmon shook his head. "Something tells me that this dimension and your own will be involved in something huge at some point in the near future. It may not actually be now, but you'll likely see more of one another in the future." He decided to change the subject then. "But you mentioned something about wanting to digivolve to Ultimate? Perhaps I can help."<br>` "Really?" Lepumon asked. "You can help us?"  
>` Parallelmon nodded. "It wont be easy, but you will be able to reach the next level. I assumed you've already tried the path of defeating the Sins?"<br>` Dallas nodded. "I couldn't let go of my attachments, so I failed."  
>` Parallelmon nodded. "Greed is the most cunning of the Sins. It is nearly impossible to stamp out, and all too easy to let back into your soul. Defeating Greed is like defeating yourself. I am not surprised that even a Tamer of your skill could not overcome it. The last time a human attempted to fight greed, he ended up destroying a huge area in the Digital World."<br>` "You talk about greed as though it's an actual person" Dallas noted. "Isn't it just an emotion?"  
>` Parallelmon's face clouded. "Who can say? Is it merely emotion that drives us to covet? Or is there something larger pulling the strings? Something...alive?" He chuckled. "But I'm confusing you now. Very well then, follow me if you wish to digivolve." he took off down the tunnel.<br>` Dallas looked to Lepumon. "What do you think? Should we follow him?"  
>` Lepumon shrugged. "I think he's been down here one eternity too long. Seems a bit out there. But if he can help us, I see no reason to pass up the chance."<br>` So the two took off after Parallelmon.

-X-

` "I told him it wouldn't work." AU growled. "Ddallas was unable to overcome his worldly greed. Phasedramon was unable to digivolve."  
>` "But where'd thet go?" Angemon asked. "I can't see Dallas or Lepumon anywhere. Maybe they were destroyed!"<br>` AU shook his head. "I think I would have felt it if Dallas was destroyed, the same way Lepumon would have felt his counterpart's destruction. They are both alive for now."  
>` "But we wont be if we don't do something." Jason cautioned. Orochimon is taking the stairs, but the others are flying up here as we speak. In a few minutes, we'll have to deal with them all at once!" He pulled out his digivice. "I say we get ready."<br>` AU nodded, turning to his partner and pulled out a card which instantly took on a dark blue hue. "Lepumon, it's time. Digimodify! Perfect Digivolution activate!"  
>(AN: I know that in Tamers it's Matrix, but Perfect is the one I'll be using.)<p>

PERFECT DIGIVOLUTION ONLINE #  
>` "Lepumon digivolve to..." data wrapped around Lepumon, creating wings, muscled arms and legs, a longer tail, and a dragon head. All of these solidified into a light blue. "Phasedramon! Phasedramon digivolve to..." An ocean of waves crashed down onto the dragon, swirling into sapphire data. Scales formed as hard as diamonds, and his horns grew into long tendrils. His wings tripled in size, before folding down against his back. "MizuPhasedramon!"<br>` At that moment, Devidramon appeared at the top floor. As he attempted to fly up to the Tempia Stone, an unseen force stopped him.  
>` "We can only get up there through the doorway" IceDevimon noted as he held onto Ogremon's right arm, supporting him in the air alongside Devimon. "But the humans and their partners are guarding the doorway now. We can attack them and force 'em to let us in!"<br>` Devidramon nodded. "So be it! We'll destroy the humans and then return to our world!"

-X-

` "Focus" Parallelmon told him. "Feel the universe in motion around you. You must search for the power within you to invoke evolution."  
>` Dallas clenched his teeth, trying to find the power. The first time he'd done it, it had been instinctual. But now, he could easilly get Lepumon to Champion. According to Parallelmon, it was the same way with Ultimate evolution, but much more powerful.<br>` "What were you feeling when you did it?" Parallelmon asked. "Lepumon was in danger, and you felt something. What was it?"  
>` "A connection to him" Dallas replied. "I felt a powerful sense of compassion, and a need to help him, even though I'd never met him."<br>` "These feelings are what bonds a partner and Digimon together. Though you may be separate beings, in the end, you are truly one. That is why it was so difficult to sacrifice your Greed, was because your connection was so powerful. Interestingly, that connection is exactly what will help you here. Ironic that the two methods of Ultimate evolution you know of are practically opposite in their natures."  
>` Dallas thought about it. "Am I going to need to repeat this every time I want to digivolve Lepumon?"<br>` Parallelmon shook his head. "When Lepumon became Phasedramon, it was because you formed a powerful connection with him. Now, that connection is permanent, so it is much easier to evolve him. The connection cannot be destroyed, but it can be strengthened."  
>` "So after this, evolving Phasedramon will become easier?" Dallas verified.<br>` Once more, a nod from his teacher. "That is why the you of this dimension can evoke his partner's evolution easilly. In truth, he is a turmoil of emotion. But he aligned himself long enough to forge a connection with his partner."  
>` "He gave up a connection to strengthen his connection?" Lepumon asked.<br>` "Focus" was Parallelmon's only reply. "You must find the strength within you."  
>` Dallas sighed as he went back to his meditation. "I hope the others are doing alright..."<p>

-X-

` "Hand of Fate!" Angemon declared, launching a beam of golden light into Devimon's face. Devimon howled with rage and responded with a Touch of Evil, knocking his heavenly counterpart away.  
>` "Marine Claw!" MizuPhasedramon fended off an attack from both Devidramon and Ogremon. "For a bunch of Champions, these guys are strong!"<br>` "We can't hold them off forever" Jason called. "We need Dallas if we wnat to have a chance. If Orochimon makes it here, we'll be too tired to fight him!"  
>` As Angemon was hit by ice and darkness together, Jason could almost feel his pain.<br>` "Dallas!" he called. "Where are you?!"

-X-

` "There is a shadow here" Parallelmon declared suddenly. "I've felt its presence ever since you appeared down here. Something wants to stop your progress."  
>` Dallas looked around the domelike room where they were meditating. "You're saying that I brought evil into this place?"<br>` Parallelmon listened. "Not evil, exactly, but I sense Greed nearby. It is nothing more than a shade, but it could be a problem for you."  
>` Dallas stood. "I wont allow evil to invade your temple, Lord Parallelmon."<br>` Parallelmon snorted. "I am hardly worthy of being called a lord. And it isn't truly my temple."  
>` "Of course it is!" Lepumon declared. "You control dimensions, and this is the Temple of Dimensions! You're practically its patron deity!"<br>` Parallelmon considered the thought. "I was a horrible monster, but now you say I am a deity? That is...difficult to comprehend."  
>` Before any of them could say more, a shadow rose up in the center of the room. It was about Dallas's height, bore a flowing robe, and carried a staff of sorts.<br>` "It is a shadow of Greed." Parallelmon warned. "I believe it has been sent here to stop your partner from digivolving."  
>` Dallas pulled out his digivice. "Well whatever it is, it's not going to stop us. Ready Lepumon?"<br>` The rabbit Digimon nodded, darting toward Greed even as light flashed from Dallas's digivice.

DIGIVOLUTION ONLINE #  
>` "Lepumon, digivolve to...Phasedramon!" he declared, soaring forward. "PhaseDrago Bomber!"<br>` As the bio-explosives were thrust into the dark entity, Greed simply stood motionless. But as soon as Phasedramon flew away, it stepped to the side. The explosives dropped to the ground, exploding harmlessly beside the shadow.  
>` "So it can be intangible as well" Dallas realized. "In that case, we'll have to fight fire with fire!"<br>` "You got it!" Phasedramon called. "Untouchable Strike!" He cleaved at Greed, but missed as the too-fast entity leaned back.  
>` "Come on, Phasedramon!" Dallas called. "I believe in you! If this thing is all that is stopping us from digivolving, we can overcome it! We're partners, and together we can do anything!" He didn't notice as both his digivice and card holder began to glow. Nearby, Parallelmon nodded his approval.<br>` Phasedramon roared. "If you believe in me, Dallas, then I can do it! DRAGO BEAM!" The blast of power was too strong for Greed to avoid. The entity fell back, a smoking crater the only remains of its chest.  
>` "We did it." Dallas realized. "We actually defeated Greed, not just mentally."<br>` "Congratulations" Parallelmon declared. "I must explain something to you now. When your alternate said that the final human chakra was blocked by Greed, and was defeated by casting off worldly connections, he discluded a few facts. To have an unbreakable bond with a friend is not Greed at all. Nobody can go through existance on their own. We must have companionship, friends. By proving that your power of friendship is more powerful than Greed, you have truly unlocked a higher power." He indicated Dallas's digivice. "now, you must go to help your friends. I sense that they are in trouble."  
>` Dallas nodded. "Thank you for everything, Parallelmon." He jumped onto Pasedramon's back and the two flew out of the cavern.<p>

-X-

` It was the earth-shattering roar that told them Orochimon had arrived. Even the Dark Legion members cowered at the sound.  
>` "This is it" AU decided. "We only have one chance of beating any of them." He turned to MizuPhasedramon. "It's time!"<br>` MizuPhasedramon nodded as all his energy seemed to pool into one point. "Poseidon's Fury!" He unleashed a huge wave of water, crashing into the Dark Legion members and reverting them into Rookies. The power left him in a huge flood, and he immediately degenerated into a small brown Digimon which resembled the Vaccine Lepumon's head.  
>` "Tripudimon" Jason checked his digivice. "In-training level Vaccine Digimon. He's Lepumon's In-Training form, and is one of the few Digimon who can digivolve into either a Data, Vaccine, or Virus form. His only attack is Triple Hop, and that doen't do much at all."<br>` AU picked up Tripudimon. carefully. "It was the only way to even the you'll have to fight Orochimon alone."  
>` Jason nodded, checking his digivice again. "Orochimon, Ultimate level. His special attak is Inferno Blast. I'm not even sure I want to fight him!"<br>` Said Digimon suddenly appeared, bursting from the stairwell. He roared in anger upon seeing his reverted allies. On his back he carried what looked like a golden star.  
>` "SemiStarmon, a Rookie-level Digimon. His special attack is shared by the more powerful Starmon, Meteor Squall!"<br>` "This is the end for you fools!" Orochimon declared. He tossed SemiStarmon over to Impmon, who weakly propped him up. "We will destroy you and reach the Tempia Stone!" He slithered to the opposite side of the room. "I've waited a long time for this."  
>` "And now we will stop you!" Angemon declared. "Hand of Fate!" He launched the golden blast at Orochimon.<br>` Nearby, AU heard Impmon suddenly whisper something to SemiStarmon. A look of panic came over the star's face, and he cried "Meteor Squall!"  
>` Too late, AU realized they had been tricked.<br>` Orochimon reflected the attack off one of his gleaming metal heads, shooting it straight at one of the door prisms. It collided with SemiStarmon's Meteor Squall and the gate opened.  
>` "Fooled you!" Tsukaimon cackled, leaping through the doorway. He was followed by his allies and finally, Orochimon.<br>` "We can't let him activate that stone!" AU cried. "But our Digimon are too weak to stop him!"  
>` "Mine isn't" a voice declared from behind them. Tamer and Digimon turned to see Dallas and Phasedramon landing on the stone floor. Both of them seemed to glow with power.<br>` "Dallas!" Jason called. "You're alive!"  
>` "I'm better than that" Dallas declared. "I'm ready to win this." He pulled a card from his holder, which immediately transformed into a light blue. "Digimodify! Perfect Digivolution activate!"<p>

PERFECT DIGIVOLUTION ONLINE #  
>` "Phasedramon, digivolve to..." Data covered Phasedramon, transforming into metallic armor. His wings transformed into a shiny metal and stretched wide. Twin missile launchers appeared on his shoulders, metallic bracers surrounded his arms, legs, and chest. A visor covered his eyes, and spikes grew along his tail. Finally, his right arm became completely mechanical, sporting a three-pronged claw at the end. "MagnaPhasedramon!"<br>` "Impossible!" Orochimon hissed. "Who are you?"  
>` Dallas pulled out his digivice smugly. "This is MagnaPhasedramon, an Ultimate-level Cyborg Digimon. He bears the great Grappler Claw as his greatest weapon, and can pass through anything save for Chrome Digizoid. His plasma-based attacks will send you reeling!"<br>` "Plasma Shot!" MagnaPhasedramon roared, colledting greenish Plasma in his Grappler Claw. He took aim and fired at Orochimon, destroying two of the monster's heads.  
>` "Inferno Blast!" Orochimon breathed flames at MagnaPhasedramon, but the powerful Digimon was too fast. With a cry of "Magna Rocket!" he destroyed the other two decoy heads. Now Orochimon had no way to light his toxic breath.<br>` "You fool!" Orochimon cried. "I will not be defeated by a human!"  
>` "Human and Digimon together!" Dallas and MagnaPhasedramon cried unanimously. "PhaseDrago Bomber Revision!"<br>` As Orochimon screamed, MagnaPhasedramon's claws glowed with spheres of light, which solidified into larger explosives than Phasedramon's. He flew at mach-speed, phasing thorugh Orochimon's chest and dropping them. The doomed Digimon screamed in fury as his data was ripped apart.  
>` "You'll regret this! The Wrath of the Dark Legions will be your doom! I will be avenged!" his head dissolved into data and he was gone.<br>` "MagnaPhasedramon landed beside Dallas. "And good riddance too!" He flexed his new wings and arm. "I could get used to this."  
>` "Congratulations" AU said as he reached them. "You succeeded in reaching the Ultimate level. I'm impressed."<br>` "As am I" a voice declared. The group looked to see Parallelmon standing at the base of the Tempia Stone, grinning.  
>` "Who's this guy?" Jason asked. Dallas held up a hand to stop him from attacking. "He's a friend." He turned to Parallelmon. "I thought you were trapped down in the caves?"<br>` Parallelmon chuckled. "The caves? I would still be insane if that was the case. No, tihs whole temple is my abode. After all it does, as you pointed out, belong to me."  
>` Dallas smiled. "Thank you for your help. Maybe we'll see you again."<br>` Parallelmon nodded earnestly. "I know we will. Be strong, Dallas. you have many hardships ahead of you. You've defeated Greed, but be wary of Wrath and Gluttony, they will oppose you in your quest. Give my regards to my brother, Chronomon, and don't forget to mention that he still owes me a visit. I haven't gotten a single Visitation Day since the beginning of time, so the least he could do is write."  
>` Dallas grinned. "I'll be sure he gets the message."<br>` Finally, AU stepped up to say his goodbyes. "it's been fun while it lasted. I'm glad we were able to meet, Dallas."  
>` Dallas nodded. "I feel like I've learned a lot about myself being here. And in a way, I have." he noted AU's depressed face. "Don't worry, we'll see each-other again. A friend of mine promised it." This brought a smile to AU's lips.<br>` "Are we ready to go?" MagnaPhasedramon asked. "No? Yes? Good? On we go! Plasma Fist!" he collected energy in the Grappler and thrust it at the Tempia Stone. Energy crackled and the stone began to hum. Instantly, a portal opened before them.  
>` "Dallas!" AU called as they were being drawn in. "There was a question I never answered, and I feel that I must do so now!"<br>` Dallas turned, trying to catch the words. "Our...is alive!"  
>` Then, the portal closed around them.<p>

-X-

` "Running out of fuel" ShootingStarmon panted. "The air is so thick up here. But I just gotta figure out where that egg is going!"  
>` Before him, he saw the egg floating toward a giant island in the sky. As it reached the island, a rift of energy opened and the egg vanished.<br>` "Something tells me I wont be seeing KoHagurumon again for a long time" ShootingStarmon panted. "Where...where is he going?"

-X-

` "Welcome back, Digidestined" a booming voice greeted them. "It is good to see you still alive."  
>` Dallas and Jason looked up in awe to see a giant white bird Digimon standing before them. He bore symbols and patterns on his wings, and looked down with all-knowing eyes.<br>` "H-Hyokomon?" Dallas asked hesitantly. "Could that possibly be you?"  
>` The bird nodded. "I am Chronomon now, my final form. I thank you for helping me to return to this temple, and to regain my power."<br>` The two Digidestined simply stared. "This is amazing!" Jason declared. "How did you manage to defeat Mercurymon?"  
>` "After Clockmon unlocked my powers, they continued to grow, even during our battle" Chronomon replied. "It wasn't long before Mercurymon realized he would have a full-fledged Super-Ultimate to fight soon enough. Wisely, he retreated."<br>` Dallas nodded. "By the way, we met your brother, Parallelmon. He seems a lot calmer than when he was locked up. He sends his regards, and wants to remind you that he's due a visit."  
>` Chronomon nodded. "Unfortunately, my brother doesn't realize that I was trapped in Digi-egg form almost as long as he was in the temple. I'll be sure to speak with him once everything is in order here."<br>` "Hey Dallas" Jason spoke up. "It looks like my Digi-egg is gone."  
>` Dallas looked at the screen of his digivice, flicking the knob to transform it into D-3 mode. His Digi-egg was also gone.<br>` "I guess that's what the story meant" Dallas realized. "That the powers would be lost for a time."  
>` "Does that mean we need to find them again here?" Jason asked. "We never get a break, do we?"<br>` Chronomon chuckled. "If you so desire, I could transport you to Seashell Beach. It's a lovely place for relaxation, and it would take Mercurymon several days to reach you."  
>` "Sounds good." Patamon grinned. "We deserve a break after all this!"<br>` Chronomon spread his wings. "Then you shall have it. Farewell, my friends. We will meet again soon." With that, the Digidestined and their partners vanished.  
>` Chronomon sat back in his throne, satisfied with his farewell.<br>` "My Lord" Clockmon spoke up. "What are we to do with the others?"  
>` Chronomon looked toward the four Digimon who sat unconscious in the corner of the room. "Their fates still entwine with those of the Digidestined. I will send them back to their master, where they will hopefully stay for a while." He clicked his fingers and the four vanished.<br>` "Now, if you will excuse me, there is a reunion I've put off for far too long." Chronomon took a step and appeared inside the Temple of Dimensions.  
>` "Brother" he called. "We need to talk."<p>

END #  
>AN: I hope you all enjoyed another chapter after my five month absence from all things Digimon. I've been working on other stories for a while, and I suppose that has kept me away from this for a while. I'll try to do better, of course, but the net few chapters of this stoy will mostly be filler.<p>

Trivia:

*The relationship between Chronomon and Parallelmon in this story is based off of Dialga and Palkia from the Pokemon franchise. Two brothers, one with power over time, the other with power over space, have been in an endless feud since the world began, but eventually learn to set aside their differences and work together.  
>*MagnaPhasedramon was created about two years after Lepumon and Phasedramon, then known as Bunnymon and Phasemon. His original name was Warpdramon, and he had the power of teleportation.<br>*As you've likely guessed, many of the aspects in this story, especially during this small arc, are reminescent of the Digimon Tamers series. (The blue card especially) It was the first season of the show which I watched all the way through, and is second only to Digimon Frontier for me.

Funny story, I actually dug up my old notebook with all my original notes for this story, having evolved from a single piece of paper with pictures and descriptions of Bunnymon (Lepumon) and Phasemon (Phasedramon). I created the two almost seven years ago and am finally putting them into a writen story.  
>Apparently, Phasedramon was originally an angel with a dragon's head. No idea where that came from...<br>` As always, I encourage you all to review. It would make me ever so happy and keep me motivated to write.

Here's a teaser of the next chapter:

Chapter Eleven: Beauty and the Beast. The DigiDestined have been swept away to hide in the tropical resort of Seashell Beach. As the sun and sand cause them to relax, a darker force is at work. Can they protect the beautiful resort owner, Ranamon, from the terrible beast below?

Even Fire and Ice have a Dark side... 


	11. Chapter 11

Hey everyone! Been a while, hasn't it? I want you all to know that my tablet is fixed, so I'm writing once more. It may be a bit before I upload more to this story, because I'm working on an original story which I story boarded completely over the last two months. It'll be on my Fictionpress account when I upload (There is a link in my profile)

So expect more from me soon. See ya!

**Even Fire and Ice have a Dark side...**


End file.
